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"Antonius" Violin

1711
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 684
Antonio Stradivari has long been thought to have been an apprentice of Nicolò Amati, but census documents do not list Stradivari as a garzone (shopboy) in the Amati household. Stradivari's early instruments do show the stylistic influence of the Amati, but as Girolamo II and Nicolò were the principal makers in Cremona during Stradivari's formative years, it would be natural for Stradivari to have been influenced by their work. Antonio Stradivari worked with two of his sons, Francesco (1671-1743) and Omobono (1679-1742), and today over 600 instruments survive from this prodigious workshop. Stradivari experimented with the shape and arching of the violin and made instruments according to many dimensions and proportions during his long career. Stradivari employed flatter arching than his predecessors, and this contributed to the production of a more powerful tone. During the period from about 1700 to 1720, Stradivari produced many of his finest violins and this is known as his "Golden Period."

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "Antonius" Violin
  • Maker: Antonio Stradivari (Italian, Cremona 1644–1737 Cremona)
  • Date: 1711
  • Geography: Cremona, Italy
  • Culture: Italian (Cremona)
  • Medium: Maple, spruce, ebony
  • Dimensions: Height: 23 in. (58.4 cm)
    Width: 8 in. (20.3 cm)
  • Classification: Chordophone-Lute-bowed-unfretted
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Annie Bolton Matthews Bryant, 1933
  • Object Number: 34.86.1a
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

More Artwork

More Artwork
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"Gould" Violin, Antonio Stradivari Italian, Maple, spruce, ebony, Italian (Cremona)
"Gould" Violin
Antonio Stradivari
1693
"Francesca" Violin, Antonio Stradivari Italian, Maple, spruce, ebony, mother of pearl, Italian (Cremona)
"Francesca" Violin
Antonio Stradivari
1694
The Batta-Piatigorsky Violoncello, Antonio Stradivari Italian, Spruce, maple, ebony
On loan to The Met
The Batta-Piatigorsky Violoncello
Antonio Stradivari
1714
Violin, Nicolò Amati (Cremona 1596–1684 Cremona) Italian, Spruce, maple, Italian (Cremona)
Violin
Nicolò Amati (Cremona 1596–1684 Cremona)
1669
Violin, Joachim Tielke German, Spruce, maple, German
Violin
Joachim Tielke
ca. 1685

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