Alessandro Gagliano (Italian, 1640–1730)
Violin, 1704
Spruce, maple, ebony; 7 3/4 x 24 5/8 in. (19.7 x 62.5 cm)
Private Collection

Alessandro Gagliano is believed to have spent considerable time learning the craft of lutherie in Cremona, perhaps in the Amati workshop. About 1700 he returned to his native Naples, where he established his own business and became the first member of his violin-making dynasty. This example has a stunning two-piece back and his distinctive f-holes that are slightly broader and more upright than typical Cremonese examples.