Andrea Amati (circa 1505, ?? — buried 24 December 1577, Cremona) was an Italian luthier renowned for his craftsmanship in violins, violoncellos, and other bowed string instruments. He is widely regarded as the pioneer of the Cremonese school of luthiery. Amati's legacy continued through his two sons, Antonio (circa 1540—circa 1610) and Girolamo Amati (circa 1561—1630), both of whom became influential luthiers. His grandson, the esteemed Nicolo Amati (1596—1684), further developed the family tradition, establishing what is known as the "Amati style" or "canon," which provided the fundamental dimensions and designs for the violin family that were emulated by generations of Cremonese and other Italian and European makers.
The details surrounding Andrea's birth and early years remain elusive, as there is no record of his birthplace or the specifics of his upbringing. Early scholarship often misrepresented his lifespan, with many citing the dates as "circa 1535 – after 1611," and suggesting he married in 1554 at the age of 19, continuing to work until around 1604. This information was notably referenced in Willibald L.F. von Lütgendorff's 1904 treatise, Die Geigen- und Lautenmacher. However, significant evidence emerged in the early 20th century that challenged these assertions. In 1938, Carlo Bonetti (1866—1951) presented a more accurate family tree of the Amatis, based on a lease contract found in Cremona's notary archives, which identified him as "maître Andrea Amati fils de Gottardo" ("master Andrea Amati, son of Gottardo"). This document, dated February 1539, along with Amati's confirmed guild membership, suggests that he was likely in his mid-thirties at that time. Furthermore, Roland Houël noted a hypothesis regarding the etymology of Amati's surname, suggesting possible Spanish origins traced to the Hamad and Amat families from Valencia, who may have adapted their name to "Amadi" and subsequently "Amati" upon settling in Italy.
The identity of Andrea's luthery mentor remains uncertain. An early theory proposed by some suggested that he trained under the enigmatic 16th-century Cremonese luthier Giovanni Leonardo da Martinengo, a claim that has since been largely dismissed by musicologists due to insufficient evidence. Scholars such as George Hart in his 1884 book, The Violin: Its Famous Makers and Their Imitators, and Karel Jalovec in his 1952 work, Italian Violin Makers, highlighted the distinctive characteristics of Amati's instruments that align more closely with the style of Gasparo da Salò (1542—1609), indicating he may have been Andrea's mentor.
By the mid-1550s, Andrea Amati had at least three adult children and was evidently thriving as a luthier, as indicated by the substantial dowry he provided for the marriages of his daughters in 1553 and 1557. His sons, Antonio and Girolamo, eventually joined him in his workshop, producing numerous instruments labeled with Andrea's name, which often contained concealed inscriptions and marks inside the instruments. Andrea's presence is documented in the censuses of 1570 and 1576, confirming his status as a luthier and property owner with five dependents. He was interred on 24 December 1577 at San Domenico Cathedral. Due to the loss of full obituaries from the San Faustino parish prior to 1585, only a brief one-line notice has been located in the Cremona diocesan archives, omitting details of his birthdate or age.
Instruments
Among the notable instruments attributed to Andrea Amati are those commissioned by the French Court, consisting of 24 violins, six violas, and eight bass instruments created between 1560 and 1574 for Queen Regent Catherine Medici (1519—1589) on behalf of her son, Charles IX (1550—1574), who was a young King of France. Flemish musicologist François-Joseph Fétis (1784—1871) noted that "André Amati" personally delivered this collection to Paris. The instruments were exquisitely adorned with royal heraldic symbols and ornate decorations, featuring various Latin mottos inscribed in gilded letters along the edges, including QVO VNICO PROPVGNACVLO STAT STABITQVE RELIGIO ("By this Bulwark, Religion Stands and Will Stand"). This elaborate collection remained at the Chapelle Royale De Versailles until October 1790, when it was largely destroyed and looted during the French Revolution. Some violas and violins, preserved by a student of Giovanni Battista Viotti, are currently housed in the collections of The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, Musée De La Musique in Paris, and the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota.
Labels
Very few original labels have survived, and many counterfeits exist. The authentic manuscript labels, typically written in red ink, generally date in Roman numerals, for example:
☛ Andrea Amati in Cremona M.D.LXXii.
☛ Andrea Amati Cremonensis fecit anno 1546
