The Collection
The American Wing Ancient Near Eastern Art Arms and Armor The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing Asian Art The Cloisters The Costume Institute Drawings and Prints Egyptian Art European Paintings European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Greek and Roman Art Islamic Art Robert Lehman Collection The Libraries Medieval Art Musical Instruments Photographs Antonio Ratti Textile Center Modern and Contemporary Art

On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.

Tanbūr

Nariman Iranian

ca. 1960

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 684

This instrument was the one most often played by Ostad Elahi, née Nur Ali (1895–1974), a tanbūr master and influential Persian thinker and jurist. Considered sacred by the Ahl-e Haqq order, the tanbūr is used to complement meditation and communication with the divine. Elahi transformed the two-stringed instrument, adding a third string and developing new playing techniques that used all ten fingers.

Tanbūr, Nariman (Iranian, 1923–1982), Mulberry, walnut, wire, Iranian — This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Title: Tanbūr

Maker: Nariman (Iranian, 1923–1982)

Date: ca. 1960

Geography: Teheran, Iran

Culture: Iranian

Medium: Mulberry, walnut, wire

Dimensions: L. 32 11/16 × W. 6 5/16 × D. 6 11/16 in. (83 × 16 × 17 cm)

Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted

Credit Line: Private collection

Object Number: L.2017.52.1a

The Met

Musical Instruments at The Met

The Museum's collection of musical instruments includes approximately 5,000 examples from six continents and the Pacific Islands, dating from about 300 B.C. to the present.