Editing Amati (section)

==Family members==

===Andrea Amati===
{{main|Andrea Amati}}
'''Andrea Amati''' ({{circa|1505}}{{snd}}20 December 1577) designed and created the violin, viola and cello known as the "violin family". Based in [[Cremona, Italy]], he standardized the basic form, shape, size, materials and method of construction. Makers from nearby [[Brescia]] experimented, such as Gasparo da Salò, Micheli, Zanetto and Pellegrino, but it was Andrea Amati who gave the modern violin family their definitive profile.

A claim that Andrea Amati received the first order for a violin from Lorenzo de' Medici in 1555 is invalid as [[Lorenzo de' Medici]] died in 1492. A number of Andrea Amati's instruments survived for some time, dating between 1538 (Amati made the first Cello called "The King" in 1538) and 1574. The largest number of these are from 1560, a set for an entire orchestra of 38 ordered by [[Catherine De Medici|Catherine de Médicis]] the regent queen of France and bore hand painted royal French decorations in gold including the motto and coat of arms of her son [[Charles IX of France]]. Of these 38 instruments ordered, Amati created violins of two sizes, violas of two sizes and large-sized cellos. They were in use until the French revolution of 1789 and only 14 of these instruments survived. His work is marked by selection of the finest materials, great elegance in execution, soft clear amber, soft translucent varnish, and an in depth use of acoustic and geometrical principles in design.
<ref>Dilworth, John. [https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/the-cambridge-companion-to-the-violin/the-violin-and-bow-origins-and-development/AB78262E05F225EFEBE993E73F432F6A "The Violin and Bow-Origins and Development."] ''[[Cambridge Companions to Music|The Cambridge Companion to the Violin]]''. Ed. Robin Stowell. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. 1–29. {{doi|10.1017/CCOL9780521390330.002}}</ref>

=== Antonio and Girolamo Amati ===
{{anchor|Brothers}}<!--[[Brothers Amati]] redirects here-->Andrea Amati was succeeded by his sons [[Antonio Amati]] ({{circa|1537}}–1607) and [[Girolamo Amati]] ({{circa|1551}}–1630). "The Brothers Amati", as they were known, implemented far-reaching innovations in design, including the perfection of the shape of the [[f-holes]]. They are also thought to have pioneered the modern alto format of [[viola]], in contrast to older tenor violas, but the widespread belief that they were the first ones to do so {{citation needed span|is incorrect given that [[Gasparo da Salo]] (1542–1609) made violas ranging from altos of 39&nbsp;cm to tenors of 44.7&nbsp;cm.|reason=This is completely unsupported boldface claim, with nothing in it excluding either Amati brother from having made a viola prior to whatever date is implied de Salo began.|date=November 2022}}{{when|When is de Salo credited with making his first, and when is either Amati brother credited with theirs?|date=November 2022}}

===Nicolò Amati===
{{main|Nicolò Amati}}
'''Nicolò Amati''' (3 December 1596{{snd}}12 April 1684) was the son of Girolamo Amati. Often considered the most eminent violin maker of the family,<ref>{{Cite news |title=The sweet sound of nightingales |url=https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2009/12/17/the-sweet-sound-of-nightingales |access-date=2024-06-26 |newspaper=The Economist |issn=0013-0613}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Violin Makers of the Amati Family |url=https://www.si.edu/spotlight/violins/amati |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Smithsonian Institution |language=en}}</ref> he improved the model adopted by the rest of the Amatis and produced instruments capable of yielding greater power of [[timbre|tone]].<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Amati|volume=1|page=783}}</ref> His pattern was unusually small, but he also made a wider model now known as the "Grand Amati", which have become his most sought-after violins.

Of his pupils, the most famous were [[Antonio Stradivari]] and [[Andrea Guarneri]],<ref name="EB1911"/> the first of the Guarneri family of violin makers. (There is much controversy regarding the apprenticeship of Antonio Stradivari.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The life of Nicolò Amati, part 2 |url=https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/the-life-of-nicolo-amati-part-2/ |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=Tarisio |language=en-US}}</ref> While the label on Stradivari's first known violin states that he was a pupil of Amati, the validity of his statement is questioned.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Antonio Stradivari |url=https://amati.com/maker/stradivari-antonio/ |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=Amati Instruments Ltd |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Girolamo Amati (Hieronymus II) ===
The last maker of the family was Nicolò's son, [[Girolamo Amati]], known as '''Hieronymus II''' (26 February 1649{{snd}}21 February 1740). He improved the arching of his father's instruments.{{Citation needed|reason=reliable source needed for the whole sentence|date=July 2012}}