Abstract
The painting below shows a viola da
gamba concert in the mid-seventeenth century at the court of Duke
August the Younger of Braunschweig (1579-1666). Concerts were no rarity
at the duke’s court, for he was one of the most learned and artistically
inclined sovereigns of his day. August’s long reign (1635-66) was
characterized by a number of domestic achievements: for example, he
successfully rebuilt his duchy after the devastation of the Thirty Years
War and introduced important church and school reforms. Still, his most
enduring contributions came in the realm of literature and culture. An
avid reader, he started collecting books as a child and pursued this
passion throughout his life. Over time, he amassed a remarkable
collection of books, manuscripts, and art objects, which eventually
formed the basis of the Wolfenbüttel library, now named Bibliotheca
Augusta in his honor. At the time of his death, the library’s collection
was among the largest in the world.