Zither Collection

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by William McLaren
King Arthur welcomes the Green Knight into the Banqueting Hall and invites him to dismount and eat with the company. Everyone is amazed to see the unexpected visitor

The Third Man
Anton Karas playing the soundtrack to The Third Man at Shepperton Studios

Chinese musical instruments
A selection of Chinese musical instruments, including a bell(1), gong, (2), cymbals(4), a guqin or seven-stringed zither(7), a pipa or four-stringed lute (8), Yueqin or moon-shaped lute(11)

Young woman and a fashionable gentleman appreciating music, 1815-1820 - Fashionable ladies
NWI4957205 Young woman and a fashionable gentleman appreciating music, 1815-1820 - Fashionable ladies and gentleman enjoying music, 1815-1820

Norman instruments: violins 243, 245, a pipe organ 244, harps 246,249, lyre 247, lute 248, zither 250
FLO4702778 Norman instruments: violins 243, 245, a pipe organ 244, harps 246,249, lyre 247, lute 248, zither 250, hunting horn 251, and siege of a castle by archers and soldiers on a boat 252

The Actors Ichikawa Danjuro and Nakamura Fukusuke in the Roles of Kato Kiyomasa... 19th century
The Actors Ichikawa Danjuro and Nakamura Fukusuke in the Roles of Kato Kiyomasa and Hinagoromo, 19th century

Woman Reading a Scroll, 17th century. Creators: Okumura Masanobu, Suzuki Harunobu
Woman Reading a Scroll, 17th century. Series: A Collection of Beauties

Feasting and musicians, 1290. Creator: Unknown
Feasting and musicians, 1290. Page from the Beaupre Antiphonary, vol. 2

Picture of Koto, Game, and Painting, published in 1889. Creator: Mizuno Toshikata
Picture of Koto, Game, and Painting, published in 1889

Egawa Tarozaemon Playing the Koto, 1887. Creator: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Egawa Tarozaemon Playing the Koto, 1887. From Lives of Modern People

Minamoto Yoshimitsu Instructing Toyohara Tokiaki in Music, 1879. Creator: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Minamoto Yoshimitsu Instructing Toyohara Tokiaki in Music, 1879. From A Mirror of Great Warriors of Japan

Yoshitsune's Encounter with Princess Joruri, from "The Tale of Joruri in Twelve... c. 1684/1704
Yoshitsune's Encounter with Princess Joruri, from "The Tale of Joruri in Twelve Episodes (Joruri Junidan Zoshi)", c. 1684/1704

Yoshitsune's Encounter with Princess Joruri, from "The Tale of Joruri in Twelve... c. 1684/1704
Yoshitsune's Encounter with Princess Joruri, from "The Tale of Joruri in Twelve Episodes (Joruri Junidan Zoshi)", c. 1684/1704

Courtesans of the Kadotsutaya, from the book "Mirror of Beautiful Women of the Pleasure... 1776. Creator: Shunsho
Courtesans of the Kadotsutaya, from the book "Mirror of Beautiful Women of the Pleasure Quarters (Seiro bijin awase sugata kagami), " vol. 1, Japan, 1776

Courtesans of the Tamaya, from the book "Mirror of Beautiful Women of the Pleasure Quarters (Seiro bijin awase sugata kagami), " vol. 1, Japan, 1776

The Zither Player, 1876. Creator: Thomas Eakins
The Zither Player, 1876

Koto and New Year's Offering, illustration for The Akoya Beach Shell (Akoyagai), from the... 1821. Creator: Hokusai
Koto and New Year's Offering, illustration for The Akoya Beach Shell (Akoyagai), from the series "A Matching Game with Genroku-period Poem Shells (Genroku kasen kai awase)", Japan, 1821

Descending Geese of the Koto Bridges (Kotoji no rakugan), from the series "Eight Views... c. 1766
Descending Geese of the Koto Bridges (Kotoji no rakugan), from the series "Eight Views of the Parlor (Zashiki hakkei)", c. 1766

Descending Geese of the Koto Bridges (Kotoji no rakugan), from the series "Eight Views... c. 1766
Descending Geese of the Koto Bridges (Kotoji no rakugan), from the series "Eight Views of the Parlor (Zashiki hakkei)", c. 1766

Yoshitsune's Encouter with Princess Joruri, from "The Tale of Joruri in Twelve... c. 1684/1704
Yoshitsune's Encouter with Princess Joruri, from "The Tale of Joruri in Twelve Episodes (Joruri Junidan Zoshi)", c. 1684/1704

Heavens Music
Florent Bodart

Chinese lute p i-p a, moon guitar yue-chin and table zither tchin; detail of a painting on silk of the Ming dynasty (1330-1644). 1948. From Musical Instruments Through the Ages, by Dr

Hellenistic relief depicting a Muse playing the zither
Relief depicting a Muse playing the zither. Hellenistic. 2nd century BC. Marble. From Babakoy (Turkey). Istanbul Archaeological Museums. Istanbul, Turkey. Date: 2014

Music cover, The Harry Lime Theme (The Third Man)
Music cover, The Zither Melody, song version of The Harry Lime Theme (The Third Man film, 1949), words by Michael Carr and Jack Golden, based on music composed and arranged by Anton Karas. Date: 1950

Mongolian Yatga players
Artists of the Folk Song and Dance ensemble, Ulan Bator, play yatgas, traditional Mongolian stringed instruments similar to a zither. Date: 1970s

Couple in traditional costume, Alt - Zillertal, Tyrol (postcard)
3786144 Couple in traditional costume, Alt - Zillertal, Tyrol (postcard) by Unknown photographer, (20th century); (add.info.: Couple in traditional costume, Alt - Zillertal)

A fine Fang harp (ngombi) (mixed media)
CH363897 A fine Fang harp (ngombi) (mixed media) by African School; height: 58 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: head finial with eyes inset with upholstery nails)

Bavarian musician with zither and beer mug, Bavaria, Germany
7278852 Bavarian musician with zither and beer mug, Bavaria, Germany by Unknown Artist, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Bavarian musician with zither and beer mug, Bavaria, Germany)

The Actor Otani Hiroji III as Hata no Daizen Taketora in the play "Kisoeuta Sakae Komachi, ... 1762
The Actor Otani Hiroji III as Hata no Daizen Taketora in the play " Kisoeuta Sakae Komachi, " performed at the Ichimura Theater in the eleventh month, 1762, 1762

Universal Harmony surrounded by gods: Zeus with an eagle, Mars, Apollo with the lyre, Venus, Mercury with caduceus
2632647 Universal Harmony surrounded by gods: Zeus with an eagle, Mars, Apollo with the lyre, Venus, Mercury with caduceus, Diana with dogs, and Saturn, the central octagon of the Hall of Olympus

Orphee playing the cithar, 1898 (oil on canvas)
JEB4875601 Orphee playing the cithar, 1898 (oil on canvas) by Beronneau, Pierre Amedee Marcel (1869-1937); Palais de Longchamp, Marseille, France; © Jean Bernard. All rights reserved 2022

The Four Accomplishments (colour & gold on silk) (pair to 3930722)
3930723 The Four Accomplishments (colour & gold on silk) (pair to 3930722) by Toyohiro, Utagawa (1773-1828); 101.7x41.5 cm; Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution

Ms Hunter 229 f. 21v David tuning his harp, from the Hunterian Psalter, c. 1170 (pen & ink and tempera on vellum)
GUL174585 Ms Hunter 229 f.21v David tuning his harp, from the Hunterian Psalter, c.1170 (pen & ink and tempera on vellum) by English School, (12th century); 29.2x19.1 cm; Glasgow University Library

Ms Hunter 229 f. 21v Detail showing musicians, from the Hunterian Psalter, c. 1170 (pen & ink and tempera on vellum)
GUL174586 Ms Hunter 229 f.21v Detail showing musicians, from the Hunterian Psalter, c.1170 (pen & ink and tempera on vellum) by English School

Page of musical notation with historiated initial, from the Squarcialupi Codex
XZL151155 Page of musical notation with historiated initial, from the Squarcialupi Codex, produced at the Florentine monastery of S

Ms Hunter 229 f. 21v David tuning his harp, from the Hunterian Psalter, c. 1170 (pen & ink and tempera on vellum)
GUL175490 Ms Hunter 229 f.21v David tuning his harp, from the Hunterian Psalter, c.1170 (pen & ink and tempera on vellum) by English School, (12th century); 29.2x19.1 cm; Glasgow University Library

Perspective Picture of a Large Room (Senjojiki uki-e no zu), 1765. Possibly a scene in the pleasure quarters, with a shamisen and koto in the foreground. Attributed to Ishikawa Toyonobu

Parody of The Book of Joruri, c. 1789/1801. Creator: Hosoda Eishi
Parody of The Book of Joruri, c. 1789/1801. Musicians playing the drum, flute, sho and koto

The Peacock Boat, c. 1795/96. Creator: Hosoda Eishi
The Peacock Boat, c. 1795/96. Women playing drum, sho, flute, koto and gong

The Courtesan Somenosuke of the Matsubaya, and Attendants Wakagi and Wakaba... c
The Courtesan Somenosuke of the Matsubaya, and Attendants Wakagi and Wakaba, from the series " A Comparison of Contemporary Beauties (Tosei bijin awase)", c. 1796/97

Pleasures of the Seasons, c. 1700. Creator: Hishikawa Morohira
Pleasures of the Seasons, c. 1700. People enjoying a day out among blossoming cherry trees

Flower-Viewing Party with Crest-Bearing Curtain, from the series "Flower Viewing at
Flower-Viewing Party with Crest-Bearing Curtain, from the series " Flower Viewing at Ueno (Ueno hanami no tei)", c. 1681/84

Hotei seated on a sack playing a zither, from an untitled series of harimaze, Japan, c. 1830s

Parody of a scene from "The Pillow Book", Japan, c. 1793 / 97
Parody of a scene from " The Pillow Book", Japan, c. 1793/97

A picnic under cherry trees, c. 1755 / 64. Creator: Torii Kiyomitsu
A picnic under cherry trees, c. 1755/64

Mirror with Images of Purity and Immortality: Mount Penglai, Boya Playing the Qin (Zither), Lotus Pond, and Dancing Phoenix, Tang dynasty (618-907), 8th century

Koto (Kin), from an untitled series of the four accomplishments, c. 1772 / 75
Koto (Kin), from an untitled series of the four accomplishments, c. 1772/75

No. 1 (Sono ichi), from the triptych "Three Musical Instruments (Sankyoku)", c
No. 1 (Sono ichi), from the triptych " Three Musical Instruments (Sankyoku)", c. 1825

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The zither, a versatile and enchanting musical instrument, has captivated cultures throughout history. From its appearance in ancient Hellenistic reliefs depicting Muses playing the zither to its role in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by William McLaren, this instrument's melodic charm knows no bounds. It even found its way into popular culture with The Third Man's iconic Harry Lime Theme cover. Originating from Chinese musical instruments, the zither has spread across continents like a celestial gift from Heavens Music itself. Mongolian Yatga players skillfully strummed their zithers, creating harmonies that echoed through vast landscapes. Even deities were drawn to the allure of this instrument; Apollo, an Olympic deity during the Imperial Era, was often depicted alongside his cherished zither in Ny Carlsberg sculptures. In Renaissance artistry, angels adorned with wings delicately plucked at their zithers while spreading heavenly melodies. The cultural significance of the zither extended beyond Europe as well. A couple dressed in traditional Tyrolean costumes showcased their love for music on an Alt-Zillertal postcard while a Bavarian musician effortlessly played his zither accompanied by a beer mug in hand—a true symbol of German heritage. Not limited to classical or traditional genres alone, contemporary artists have embraced this timeless instrument too. Its haunting tones can be heard resonating through modern compositions and experimental sounds alike. Whether it is evoking emotions through centuries-old tales or adding depth to cinematic masterpieces like The Third Man's soundtrack—wherever you encounter the mesmerizing sound of the zither—you are transported into a world where music transcends time and language barriers.