Leonporri Violin: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This violin was made by Giovanni Francesco Leonporri in Milan, Italy in 1755. Leonporri, whose attributed (signed) work is rarely encountered, is thought to have worked in Milan during the period 1750-1768. The Tyrolean character of his instruments implies that he may have been of Germanic background. It is possible that he Italianized his name when he moved to Milan. This violin is made of a two-piece table of spruce, two-piece back of maple cut on 45o with very fine irregular gently descending figure, ribs of similar maple, grafted maple neck with original plain maple pegbox and scroll, and a semi-transparent golden-brown varnish.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1755
• maker: Leonporri, Giovanni Francesco
• Object Name: violin
• Physical Description: spruce (table material)
• Physical Description: maple (back material)
• Measurements: overall: 23 7/8 in x 8 in x 3 7/8 in; 60.6425 cm x 20.32 cm x 9.8425 cm
• Place Made: Italy: Lombardy, Milan
• ID Number: 1980.0838.01
• catalog number: 1980.0838.01
• accession number: 1980.0838
• Credit Line: Gift of Alfredo and Raquel Halegua
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.