Recorder Home Page

Recorder Iconography

Compiled by Nicholas S. Lander

U

Alexandre Ubeleski [Ubelesqui]

French painter of Polish origin, influenced by Charles Le Brun; born Paris (1628), died Paris (1715).

Cartoon for a tapestry, Alexandre Ubeleski (1628-1715). Paris: Musée de Louvre, Inv. 6666; actually owned by the Museum, Arras (Pas-de-Calais). Ref. Mirimonde (1977: 85, fig. 1). A nymph dances and a satyr pipes. Includes a trophy with a musette, duct-flute and syrinx. An example of the tapestry itself is at the Palais Rohan, Strasbourg.

Mark Ulriksen

Contemporary US painter and magazine illustrator whose works adorn The New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, Time, and Newsweek Japan; born late 1950s. WWW Page.

Cover American Recorder 38(3): Untitled (1997), Mark Ulriksen (ca 1995-). A man in sandals, jeans, a waistcoat, glasses and berret with a six o'clock shadow standing on an island in view of the Golden Gate Bridge plays a stylised baroque recorder.

Andrea Urbani

Italian painter and frescoist; born Venice (1711), died Padua (1798).

Frieze with Musical Instruments, early 18th century, fresco, Andrea Urbani ((1711-1798). Vicenza: Castello di Montegalda, Villa Grimani Sorlini Ref. Angelo Zaniol (pers. comm., 2003). A trophy with music books, violin and bow, horn, ?shawm, ?lute, and a baroque-style recorder. The distinctive head and beak are clearly depicted.

Adriaen van Utrecht

Flemish artist, essentially a still-life painter of fruit and game, although he sometimes set these in a kitchen interior or on a breakfast table to form a genre piece; the figures in his paintings were often the work of others (Jordaens, Teniers, Thulden, Rombouts); born 1599, died Antwerp (1653).

Still-life (1644), oil on canvas, 185 × 242.5 cm, Adriaen van Utrecht (1599-1653). Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum, SK-C-301. Ref. Paris RIdIM (1999). The subject of this huge canvas is abundance and opulence. On a table and spilling onto the floor lies a jumble of fruit, a lobster, a ham, etc. Against a chair lean a guitar and a pipe (probably a flute), the lower part of which is visible showing a thicker foot and four finger-hole. A lute and violin lie on the floor with an open book of music, books, fruit, nuts, and a baboon which is helping itself to the fruit. The foot with the fontanelle of what is possibly a recorder can be seen jutting out from under a cloth thrown over the chair. A small poodle and a parrot survey the scene, which is not strictly a still-life at all since it contains living creatures.

Joachim (Anthonisz.) Utewael [Utenwael, Uytewael, Wtewael, Wttewael]

Dutch painter and draughtsman; works include classical and genre scenes; his style reflects the transition from Mannerism to a more naturalistic style in Dutch art; born Utrecht 1566, died Utrecht 1638.

Mercury and Argus, pen, ink and grey wash on paper, 19.9 x 32 cm, Joachim Wtewael or Utewael (ca 1566-1638). Detail. Private Collection; auctioned Phillips. Ref. Bridgeman Art Library (2002: Image ID PFA 166765 - col.) One half of this drawing shows Mercury, naked except for his winged helmet, sitting on a rock playing a long, slender pipe. In front of the rock Mercury's caduceus and sword are hidden. In the other half of the drawing Argus sleeps, against a tree.

Peter Uytewael [Wtewael, Wtenwael, Wttewael]

Dutch painter of genre, marine and religious works; born 1596, died 1660.

A Jester holding a Flute (1623), oil on panel, 58.8 × 36.3 cm, Peter Uytewael (1596-1660). Another image here. New York: Lawrence Steigrad Fine Arats (2007). Ref. Paris RIdIM (1999); Gabrius Data Bank, OMP (2000 - col.); Bridgeman Art Library (2003: Image NOR 86709 - col.); Lawrence Steigrad Fine Arts (2007). A young man with a smile holds a cylindrical duct-flute (flageolet or recorder). The first two fingers of the player's lower (right) hand cover their holes leaving two open for the other fingers on this hand; thus it would appear to be a recorder. This appears to have been restored recently. Possibly a self-portrait of the artist.

Moyses van Uyttenbroeck

Netherlandish artist; born The Hauge (ca 1590), died Dordrecht (1647).

The Judgement of Midas, Moyses van Uyttenbroeck (ca 1590-1647). Dordrecht: Museum (City Art Gallery). Ref. Anthony Rowland-Jones (pers. comm., 2001). Marsyas plays a slender, slightly flared alto sized pipe (possibly a duct-flute), left hand lowermost, all fingers down.