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Signature of Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach

Bach's own handwritten signature, used to authenticate documents bearing his name.

Bach's own handwritten signature, used to authenticate manuscripts and documents attributed to him.

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Black cursive handwritten signature reading 'Johann Sebastian Bach' with a period at the end, on a white background.
Signature of Johann Sebastian Bach.

About this source

What it is

This is a reproduction of Johann Sebastian Bach's personal signature, written in cursive script reading 'Johann Sebastian Bach.'

Why it matters

A signature like this is used by historians and archivists to confirm that documents, letters, or musical manuscripts attributed to Bach are genuinely in his hand. Comparing signatures across different papers helps separate authentic autograph sources from later copies.

Look closer

  • What can the shape and flow of someone's handwriting tell you, beyond just confirming their identity?
  • Why is it important for historians to be able to verify a signature before trusting a document?
  • How might a signature change in style over a person's lifetime, and what would that tell researchers?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Johann Sebastian Bach on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Handwritten manuscript page of musical notation on aged, yellowed paper, with multiple staves of notes, slurs, and ornaments in ink, and handwritten inscription text along the bottom edge.Book

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St Matthew Passion

Johann Sebastian Bach · 1727

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Mass in B minor

Johann Sebastian Bach · completed 1749

Handwritten title page in French reading 'Six Concerts Avec plusieurs Instruments, Dediés à Son Altesse Royalle Monseigneur Christian Louis, Marggraf de Brandenbourg', with a dedication signed by Jean Sebastien Bach, Maître de Chapelle, and a library stamp.Book

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Brandenburg Concertos

Johann Sebastian Bach · 1721

Black and white scan of the handwritten title page of Bach's Das Wohltemperirte Clavier, with ornate flourishes at top, a large decorative initial, lines of German script, Bach's name, the date 1722 and a library stamp at bottom.Book

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The Well-Tempered Clavier

Johann Sebastian Bach · 1722 (Book 1); 1742 (Book 2)

Oil portrait of a man in a white powdered wig and dark coat with gold buttons, white cravat and cuffs. He holds a sheet of handwritten music with the inscription 'Canon triplex a 6 voci' and the signature 'J. S. Bach'.Painting

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Portrait of Bach

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