Niña de los Peines (Sevilla, 1890 - 1969)
Flamenco Record: "Buleria No. 2", "Farruca", 1901-1916
Shellac with paper label , 25.5 cm (10 1/16 in.)
General admission for children 17 years and under is always free
This phonograph record of flamenco music is made of shellac and has a hole in the center. A light brown paper label has Spanish text on it that indicates it was made in Madrid and includes a catalog number. The logo of a company that produced this record, a white dog staring into the megaphone of an old fashioned victrola, is depicted in the center of this label.
Macknight Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner and the artist John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) were close friends for decades. In addition to discussing art and travel, the two shared a love of music. In a letter preserved in the Museum Archives, Sargent describes their shared interest in flamenco and other Spanish music. The artist gave Isabella several flamenco records, which she clearly listened to: notes in her handwriting preserved on the labels classify each record as “good” or “bad.”