Fig. 44.—Guitar. French (?). 17th century. L. 40⅜in., W. 11⅞ in. No. 676-’72.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
Fig. 45.—Quinterna, or Chiterna. Inscribed “Joachim Tielke in Hamburg, 1539,” but of later date. L. 25½ in., W. 9⅜ in. No. 1122-’69.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
Fig. 46.—Cither. German. End of 17th century. L. 31½ in. No. 219-’82.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
The guitar was a fashionable instrument in England, played by ladies, in the time of Charles II. On the Continent it generally had ten catgut strings, of which two were always tuned in unison. At the present day it has six strings, the two of which are of silk covered with silver wire, and the others are of catgut.
A species of guitar is the quinterna, or chiterna, somewhat resembling a violin in shape ([Fig. 45]). It was used about two centuries ago, especially in Italy, by the lower orders of musicians and comedians for accompanying their vocal performances. It was played with the fingers instead of a plectrum.
The cithern, cittern, or cither ([Fig. 46]), which during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was a popular instrument in England, where it was often played in the barbers’ shops, had four pairs of wire strings.