Italian violin with inside label "Antonius Stradivarius, Cremona"

Italian violin with inner label "Antonius Stradivarius, Cremona".
Provenance: Private collection.
Measurements: 59 x 20,5 x 9,5 cm.

This violin follows the models of the well-known luthier Antonio Stradivari, the most famous and important violin maker in history. It has a stylized and sinuous profile, with a smooth moulding, stylized "f" shaped ears and a carved scroll on the headstock.
Antonio Stradivari (Cremona, 1644-1737) was probably trained in the workshop of Nicolo Amati, and is today the most famous luthier in the history of music. He set up independently in 1683 in his native Cremona, and soon began to show his originality by making alterations to his master's violin models. He improved the bow, calculated the thickness of the wood more accurately, used more colored varnishes and also improved the construction of the neck. Stradivari built his best violins between 1683 and 1715, and it is considered that from 1730 onwards those sold under his trademark were made by his sons, Omobono and Francesco. Stradivari also built harps, guitars, violas and cellos, more than a thousand instruments in total, of which about six hundred and fifty are preserved today, in collections as outstanding as the National Heritage of Spain, the Metropolitan Museum in New York or the Victoria & Albert in London.