Bottega Italiana
Rare String instruments of the Chi-Mei Collection
from September, 22 to October, 13
This year’s exhibition of historic violinmaking presents a small but carefully chosen selection of instruments from the Chi-Mei Cultural Foundation Museum in Tainan, Taiwan. The foundation owns an extraordinary collection of string instruments, currently made up of over 1,300 pieces. The exhibition’s Scientific Committee has selected works by 22 Italian artisans, produced between the end of the 17th century and the first half of the 19th century.
The exhibition will feature 19 violins, two violas and one violoncello, all of exceptional quality and in an excellent state of conservation. They represent the output of Italian violinmakers who are important but not widely known, often because of the rarity of their works. As exemplified by the title, Bottega Italiana (“Italian Workshop”), the exhibition wants to show to the public the wealth of ideas and variety of forms and models that can be found in classic Italian violinmaking, revealing how violinmakers with great personality and considerable technical and artistic skills were active throughout north-central Italy. With their works, these artisans contributed to making the violin the popular instrument we know so well today.
The wide geographic area and extensive time period the exhibition covers allow for fascinating readings. The reciprocal influence of violinmakers working in the same city will be clear, but it will also be interesting to evaluate the influence of the work of the supreme Stradivari, and more generally the Cremona School, on great Italian violinmaking. Perhaps surprisingly, the exhibition brings to light the independence of many past artisans from the most important violinmaking school in history. One of the exhibition’s objectives is to show the originality that in the past marked the work of many violinmakers who today are little known but should not be forgotten. The hope is that for contemporary violinmakers, a deeper understanding of this historic context can be a source of inspiration for the future.
in collaboration with:
Bottega Italiana
Rare String instruments of the Chi-Mei collection
Museo del Violino – Temporary Exhibitions Pavilion
from September, 22 to October, 13
from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm
Ticket Euro 5