Vihuela facts for kids

20th century Mexican vihuela.

Vihuela is a name given to two different guitar-like string instruments: one from 16th century Spain, usually with 12 paired strings, and the other, the Mexican vihuela, from 20th century Mexico with five strings and typically played in Mariachi bands.

Images for kids

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  Vihuela reproduced by Khalil Gibran in the mid–20th century

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  Orpheus playing a vihuela. Frontispiece from the famous book by Luis de Milán.

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  Musicians playing the vihuela, one with a bow, the other plucked by hand, in the Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X of Castile, 13th century

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  Example of numeric vihuela tablature from the book Orphenica Lyra by Miguel de Fuenllana (1554). Red numerals (original) mark the vocal part.

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  The 'Guadalupe' vihuela in the Musée Jacquemart-André, with 798mm long scale, decorative inlays, and five sound-holes (16th century)

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  Vihuela, clipped from frontispiece of a book

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  Madonna Enthroned altarpiece by Girolamo dai Libri

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  Fresco depicting a Spanish vihuelist painted by Bernardino Pinturicchio in 1493

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  Angel-musician playing a vihuela (anonymous author)

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  Sophrano vihuela (anonymous author)

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  Viola da mano, engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi, c. 1510

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  Bass vihuela, by Juan de Juanes

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  Contrabass vihuela (fresco)

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  Modern reconstruction of vihuela de mano, played by Pedro Jesús Gómez, 2010