Violin Family Instruments

Timeline

1. 1550–1590Cremona · LombardyAndrea Amati was the first in Cremona to produce bowed string instruments approaching the modern violin's form, establishing basic norms for body curves, soundhole shape, and plate thickness, and founding the Cremona luthier tradition; his descendants continued and refined the craft.
2. c. 1601–1610Cremona and European courts · Holy Roman EmpireIn the early 17th century, luthiers such as Giovanni Paolo Maggini further perfected the structure; the violin family replaced the viol in European court and church music, becoming the core of string performance, and composers such as Monteverdi made extensive use of its tone in opera and chamber music.
3. 1700–1730Cremona · LombardyViolins made by Antonio Stradivari in his 'golden period' (1700–1720) are widely regarded as the pinnacle of the luthier's art; about 600 survive, are worth over a million dollars on the market, and are still used by today's top soloists.