Antonio Siciliano

History

Antonio SICILIANO was a maker active in Venice about 1600, according to Cecie Stainer in A Dictionary of Violin Makers. Karel Jalovec, in Italian violin makers, states he worked in Venice from 1630 to 1660 and was a native of Bologna. He sometimes referred to himself as "Antonius Bononiensis" or "Ciciliano" on his labels. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, in Die Geigen- und Lautenmacher vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart, notes that his surviving works reveal him to be a capable master. Sources contain conflicting information regarding his working period; John Dilworth, in The Brompton's Book of Violin & Bow Makers, cites a violin dated 1800 from Ancona, Italy, though other sources place his activity much earlier, around 1600 to 1660 in Venice and Bologna. Due to the variations in his name, Vidal mistakenly identified three different masters: Ant. Ciciliano, Ant. Siciliano, and Ant. Bononiensis, though these names all refer to the same individual.

Craft

• Skill: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff describes him as a "tüchtigen Meister" (capable master), and Karel Jalovec characterizes him as a "dexterous and assiduous master".
• Instruments: He produced a variety of instruments including tenors, bass violas da gamba, lutes, theorbos, violas, and chitarrone.
• Characteristics: A gamba in the Museum des Lyceo filarmonico in Bologna features "abgerundeten Ecken" (rounded corners). A chitarrone in Berlin's royal collection (No. 722) is noted for its "zierlicher, geschmackvoller Rose" (elegant, tasteful rose). John Dilworth mentions a violin with a "large model with thick red-brown varnish," though this description is associated with the later 1800 date.

Further Information

• Locations of Work: He was active in Venice and was a native of Bologna.
• Instrument Locations: A tenor and a bass viola da gamba are preserved in the Modena Museum, Vienna. A gamba with rounded corners and a bass viola da gamba are held in the Museum des Lyceo filarmonico in Bologna. A chitarrone (Roman theorbe) is part of the royal collection in Berlin (No. 722). A viola da gamba is found in the collection of Graf Correr in Venice. A theorbe with a double pegbox, measuring 1.95 meters in length, is housed in the städtische historische Museum in Frankfurt a./M.
• Nomenclature: De Piccolellis only mentions the name Siciliano without further remarks.

Summary

Antonio SICILIANO was a versatile instrument maker, active primarily in Venice and Bologna during the 17th century, though some sources cite activity as late as 1800 in Ancona. He was known for crafting instruments such as violas da gamba, lutes, theorbos, and chitarrone, often signing his works under variations of his name like "Antonius Bononiensis" or "Ciciliano." His instruments are noted for their quality and can be found in various European museums and collections.