Giovanni Paolo Maggini

Starting in the 16^th century, not just Cremona but nearby Brescia became renowned beyond the region for its school of violinmaking. The art of violinmaking first flourished under Gasparo Bertolotti, also referred to as da Salò (1540–1609). Da Salò’s most famous pupil was Giovanni Paolo Maggini, who was born in Botticino Sera near Brescia in 1580. In 1586, Maggini moved to Brescia, where records tell us that he worked for da Salò from 1598. Maggini’s training is likely to have begun earlier, however, because he had established his own business by 1607 at the latest. Maggini was very successful, and his prosperity allowed him to afford a centrally located house with a workshop in Brescia as well as two additional houses and several fields of farmland. Additionally, two tax returns show that he had an employee for a longer period. Maggini got married in 1615 and founded a family. Only four of his ten children survived, however. A series of outbreaks of the bubonic plague starting in 1630 also claimed Maggini’s life, but the exact date of his death has not been established so far.

Maggini was influenced by the work of his master in his first period and evolved his own style later. The maker’s labels display only Maggini’s name, making it difficult to establish when an instrument was made. Chronological classification has to rely only on stylistic criteria and dendrochronological data. Most of Maggini’s violins were built on a large model and display high arching, open C-bouts with only slightly protruding corners as well as long f-holes. Maggini also built his violas on different models. Some of his instruments exhibit double rows of purfling and other decorations.