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)

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

Heavens Music
Florent Bodart

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

Scholar with Servant Holding a Qin, Qing dynasty (1644-1911), 1876. Creator: Unknown
Scholar with Servant Holding a Qin, Qing dynasty (1644-1911), 1876. Hand-held fan

Mounted traveler and servant bearing a zither, Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. Creator: Unknown
Mounted traveler and servant bearing a zither, Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. Formerly attributed to Wu Wei

Palace Ladies Tuning a Zither (qin), Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. Creator: Unknown
Palace Ladies Tuning a Zither (qin), Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. Traditionally attributed to Zhou Fang

Qin tuning key (qin zhenyao) with tiger and snake, Eastern Zhou dynasty, 5th century BCE

Woman playing a zither (engraving)
3646561 Woman playing a zither (engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Woman playing a zither)

Deep tray, 17th-18th centuries (tray; lacquer on wood, mother-of-pearl, silver
5951014 Deep tray, 17th-18th centuries (tray; lacquer on wood, mother-of-pearl, silver, gold and bamboo) by Chinese School

Zither, Tyrol (chromolitho)
1093592 Zither, Tyrol (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Zither, Tyrol. Liebig educational card, late 19th or early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

No. 1011 Study for The Bower Meadow, c. 1872 (coloured chalks on paper
FIT77514 No. 1011 Study for The Bower Meadow, c.1872 (coloured chalks on paper) (see also 62974) by Rossetti, Dante Gabriel Charles (1828-82); 79.7x67.3 cm; Fitzwilliam Museum

Two plates with a selection of Chinese musical instruments (coloured engraving)
CHT176859 Two plates with a selection of Chinese musical instruments (coloured engraving) by European School, (19th century); Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

Potiphar and Zulaykha enthroned from Yusuf and Zulaykha
5932576 Potiphar and Zulaykha enthroned from Yusuf and Zulaykha, 1575 (opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper) by Persian School, (16th century); 28 x 18.8 cm; Freer Gallery of Art

St. Cecilia and Two Angels, 1870s (stained glass)
MOK120182 St. Cecilia and Two Angels, 1870s (stained glass) by Burne-Jones, Edward Coley (1833-98); Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, UK; Martyn O Kelly Photography; English, out of copyright

Norman musical instruments and a siege
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

Concert with many instruments, ancient Greece. Musicians playing lyre, kithara or zither, aulos or tibia, harp, psalterion, tambourine, cymbals, etc

Musicians playing ancient Greek lyres, zither and tibia
Types of Greek lyres 1-5, 9, woman playing kithara or zither 6, 7, and man playing aulos or tibia from ancient Greek vases

Chinese musical instruments: dagu drums 1, 2, 3, bianzhong 4, 7, bells 5, 6, and guzheng zither 9, 10. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Bernieri from Giulio Ferrrarios Costumes Antique

Tyrol (chromolitho)
734950 Tyrol (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Tyrol. Liebig card, late 19th century/early 20th century.); Look and Learn / Rosenberg Collection

Musical Angel, 1876 (stained glass)
3474859 Musical Angel, 1876 (stained glass) by Wooldridge, Harry Ellis (1845-1917); St James, Chipping Campden, UK; (add.info.: Manufactured by James Powell & Sons); eAlastair Carew-Cox; English

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

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.