Antonio Stradivari 1707 VL Brüstlein
At the time the ‘Bru¨stlein’ violin was manufactured, Stradivari was considered to be the top dog by his contemporaries. François- Joseph Fétis appropriately described the luthier’s achievements in the following terms: ‘He had acquired more than competency by labour and economy; for the inhabitants of Cremona were accustomed to say: ‘‘rich as Stradivari”.’ Nevertheless, the Cremonese master seemed uninterested in anything other than his work. Horace Petherick summarised Stradivari’s attitude during this so-called ‘Golden Period’ and provided a glimpse at the man behind the master: ‘Stradivari may be said to have been now in the enjoyment of the plentitude of his powers. Success was attendant upon him without intermission. Tradition says he was reputed in the locality as positively rich, but we do not hear of his aspiring to civic honours as alderman, vestryman, guardian or councilman—common or otherwise—as the outcome of the possession of full coffers. Stradivari simply went on making fiddles.’
Further Details
Antonio Stradivari Set 1, Volume 2, Page 272
