Double Virginal. Culture: Flemish. Dimensions: Width: 71 3/4 in. (182.2 cm)Depth: 19 1/2 in. (49.5 cm). Maker: Hans Ruckers the Elder (Flemish, Mechelen ca. 1545-1598 Antwerp). Date: 1581.This double virginal is the earliest known instrument by Hans Ruckers, who founded a dynasty that dominated Flemish harpsichord building for a hundred years.Double virginals consist of a large instrument (called "the mother"), with its keyboard placed off-center, and a small virginal ("the child"), tuned an octave above that of the large instrument and stored in the space next to its keyboard. Either instrument may be played by itself, or the small virginal may be removed from its space and placed on top of the larger one. When this is done, the keys of the "child" are activated when those of the "mother" are played, thereby causing both instruments to sound at once, in octaves.The rectangular shape is typical of Flemish virginals. When not in use, the front panel swings up to conceal the keyboards