di Stradivari Antonio

1690 - Tenor viola "Medicea"

1690ViolaTenoreMedicea a.jpg

Back of two pieces of curly maple to medium horizontal curl. Original neck and scroll with edges painted black. Original fingerboard and tailpiece, with inlaids in ivory and mother of pearl (Weapon Medici on the fingerboard and cupid on the tailpiece). Original bridge drawn at ink with floral motifs and atlases. Clear golden-brown varnish.

Date and Place: 1690, Cremona
Label: Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis / faciebat Anno 1690 (original)
Length of body: 47.8 cm
Width, upper bouts: 21.9 cm
Width, lower bouts: 27.2 cm
Position: Firenze (I), Galleria dell'Accademia (deposit of the Conservatorio of Music "Luigi Cherubini")
Inventory: 1988/15
Provenance: Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de Medici 1690; Conservatorio di Musica "Luigi Cherubini" (Florence) 1863
Exhibitions: 1937, Cremona: Mostra di Liuteria Antica Cremonese; 1980, Firenze: Antichi Strumenti. Collezioni dei Medici e dei Lorena; 1987, Cremona: Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari.
Bibliography specifies: De Piccolellis 1885; Hart 1885; De Piccolellis 1889; Hill 1902; Bargagna 1911; Kinsky 1930; Bacchetta 1937; Bonetti-Gualazzini-Cavalcabò 1937; Farina 1937; S. a. 1937; AA. VV. 1938; Bacchetta 1948 (II); Doring 1945; Jalovec 1952; Gai 1969; Goodkind 1972; Sacconi 1972; Riley 1978; Vettori 1979; AA.VV. 1980; Riley 1980; Vettori 1985; Bear 1987; Riley 1991; S. a. 1991; Beare 1994; S. a. 1994; Branca 1999; Doring 1999; Sacconi 2000; Brandmair-Greiner-Peter 2010