/internal/media/dispatcher/34677/fullFAS/F/65Square PianoArt / DecorativeLate 18th centuryLate 18th century17701800Christopher GanerChristopher GanerThe main highlight of the Drawing Room display of the 19th-century galleries is the one and only musical instrument in the MUŻA collection. Known as a square piano, it is considered to be a transitional piece during the experimentation phase before the classical upright piano reached its fully-fledged stage in its development. Neo-classical in style, this instrument would have primarily been constructed by a furniture or cabinet maker, with its musical component consisting of a keyboard and a simple yet complex system of stretched horizontal strings, a sound board and a series of tiny tightly-knit hammers for its playability. As the sound that emerges from this square piano is low and soft, it was typically used only in domestic settings. Such a square piano as this one would have provided light entertainment for the family and during private party functions.52 x 153 x 82MUŻAMUŻA, First Floor, Neoclassicism to Realism: 1800-1930, The Drawing Room in British Malta814303729-301InstrumentHeritage Malta3693Wood, ivory and other materials