A Stradivarius is a stringed instrument built by members of the Stradivari family, especially by Antonio Stradivari.
Antonio Stradivari was born in Italy in 1644, and said to be a disciple of Nicolo Amati, of the Amati family of luthiers of Cremona. Antonio set up business for himself in 1680, though his early violins are generally considered inferior to those made between 1698 and 1720. While many of his techniques are still not fully understood by modern science, it is known for sure that the wood used included spruce for the harmonic top, willow for the internal parts and maple for the back, strip and neck, and that the wood was treated with several types of minerals, including potassium borate (borax), sodium and potassium silicate, and vernice bianca a varnish composed of Arabic gum, honey and egg white.
Nicolò Amati (1596 - April 12, 1684) was an Italian luthier from Cremona, a member of the Amati family.
The founder of the Cremona school was Andrea Amati (c. 1520–c. 1578), whose earliest violins date from about 1564. His labels bore the name Amadus, and he is credited with the basic design of the modern violin. His sons were Antonio Amati and Girolamo or Geronimo Amati, who worked together and followed closely their father’s patterns in making violins of graceful shape and sweet tone.
The Amati instruments were characterized by mathematically derived
outlines and transparent amber-colored varnish. Nicolò Amati (1596–1684), son of Girolamo, brought the Amati violin to its height after c. 1645. Andrea Guarneri, grandfather of Giuseppe "del Gesu" Guarneri was a pupil of Nicolò. Also at least one Antonio Stradivari label, dated 1666, reads, “Alumnus Nicolais Amati” - student of Nicolò Amati. Other documented pupils of Nicolò include Jacob Railich, Bartolomeo Pasta, Batrolomeo Cristofori, Giacomo Genarro, and Giovanni Battista Rogeri. Nicolò’s son, Girolamo (1649–1740), was the last of his line to achieve distinction.
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