Reference Library Makers

B. 1649, d. 1740, Cremona

Son of Nicolo, his hand is evident in instruments from 1670 onwards. Faced with strong competition from the more recently established Guarneri, Rugeri, and Stradivari families, the Amati workshop slipped into decline and Girolamo briefly left the city around 1700. Some rare labels give Piacenza as his domicile at this time, but he evidently returned to Cremona and continued to make instruments fitfully for another ten to fifteen years. His work, by any standards other than those of his own family, is very fine, and shows intelligence in rejecting the more extreme archings used by his father in favour of Stradivari??Ts innovations in modelling and varnish. His instruments are thus extremely successful tonally.