Scan 86
The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1875
4 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1ALVANI, Cremona, Imitator of Joseph Guarnerius, whom he copied with considerable skill.
3AMATI, Andrew, Cremona. The date of his birth is unknown, but is supposed to have occurred about 1520. This maker claims attention not so much on account of his instruments as from the fact of his having founded the school of Cremona. There is but little known of the early history of Andrew Amati. It is said that he was descended from an ancient family of Cremona, dating back to the eleventh century. There is no direct evidence as to the name of the master from whom he learnt the art of making stringed instruments. If his work be carefully examined, it will appear that the only maker to whose style it can be said to bear any resemblance is Gaspard di Salo, and it is possible that the great Brescian may have instructed him in his art. It is unfortunate that there are no data for our guidance in the matter. These men, like their brothers in art, the painters of olden times, began to live when they were dead, and their history thus passed without record. Andrew Amati may possibly have been self-taught, but there is much in favour of the view given above on this point. His early works are so Brescian in character as to cause them to be numbered with the productions of that school. For a general designation of the instruments of this maker the following notes may suffice. The work is carefully executed. The model is high, and, in consequence, lacks power of tone; but the
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