Scan 275
The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1875
2 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 7. See the scan on archive.org.
1a fact which makes it more than ever unintelligible that he should have been content with it. To arrive at anything approaching to a satisfactory solution, we must endeavour to trace the history of this model. Jacobus Stainer was born in the Tyrol, and passed there his early years, and probably received his first instructions from one of the old Tyrolean Lute and Viol makers at a period when they raised their model, and introduced into the German School the scooping round the sides of the backs and bellies, the inelegant sound-hole, the harsh outline, and uncouth scroll. As experience ripened his understanding, he felt that these characteristics of the German School were not such as could be moulded with advantage by any artist, whatever his talent might be, and resolved to do his best to unlearn much that he had acquired. In order to do so with any chance of success, but one course was open to him, that of studying the Italian masters on their own ground. The course to which he was thus led evidences his sagacity and thoroughly artistic nature. To leave those who patronised him and looked up to him, and to visit Cremona for the purpose of humble study, must have needed no little enthusiasm, for it is impossible that he could have travelled with any other motive than that indicated. He must have been well aware that his style could find no favour with the Italians, and therefore that he was precluded from any possibility of employment which would yield more than bare maintenance. It has been hitherto stated that his
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