Girolamo (Hieronymus) (I) Amati

AMATI, Hieronymus (I) Born 1561, died 1631 Cremona Italy. Younger son of Andrea Amati, above. After the departure of his brother Antonio in 1588, Hieronymus continued to use the ‘brothers’ formula ‘Fr.[atelli] Amati’ on his labels. Production increased markedly and the city of Cremona quickly became synonymous with the violin throughout Europe in the period when the Amati shop was the only source of violins in the city. From about 1610 he would have been assisted by his son Nicolò in meeting the burgeoning demand. Hieronymus, like Maggini in Brescia, was a victim of the plague which swept northern Italy in 1630. From 1615 he began making a small number of contralto violas which were radically reduced in dimensions compared to the large tenors made in the previous century. Their design and scale anticipated the modern viola. Cellos bearing the brothers’ label are invariably of large size, although most have been reduced in later years. In stylistic terms the brothers began to the process of raising the arch and broadening the lower wing of the soundholes. The distinctive form of fluting at the front face of the scroll used by Andrea continued. Many instruments made with two-piece backs have one side reversed so that the flame appears to continue across the joint rather than reflected mirror-fashion. Painted and decorated examples are exceedingly rare in contrast to the work attributed to Andrea, and presumably reflects the developing market among professional musicians requiring instruments in this period. Viols of violin form and other hybrid instruments also exist. Antonius et Hieronymus Fr. Amati / Cremonen Andrea fil F.15..

Jüngerer Sohn von Andrea A. In erster Ehe (um 1576) vermählt mit
Ippolita Zucchielli (f 27. Oct. 1630), von welcher er fünf Töchter hatte. Am
24. Mai 1584 ging er mit Laura Lazzarini eine zweite Ehe ein, von der er
neun Kinder bekam; das fünfte davon war Nicola. Hieronymus war ungleich
talentvoller und origineller als sein Bruder und wie dieser bedeutender als der
Vater. Er arbeitete mit seinem Bruder gemeinsam. Dass sich in den letzten
Lebensjahren die Brüder getrennt haben sollen, ist nicht wahrscheinlich, da
es noch Violinen mit gemeinsamem Zettel und der Jahreszahl 1630, also dem
Todesjahr Girolamo’s, giebt. Ein von Grillet veröffentlichter Zettel mit dem
Namen »Hieronimus (sic) Amati« tragt die Jahreszahl 1640 und erweist sich
dadurch als Fälschung. Wenn man auch mehrfach versucht hat, die Arbeiten der beiden Brüder auseinanderzuhalten, so können sie doch nur gemeinsam beurtheilt werden. Alles an ihren Geigen verdient Lob, und ihre Arbeit weist in allen Einzelheiten einen sichtbaren Fortschritt gegen ihre Vorgänger auf. Sie führten auch die Aushöhlung der Decke zu beiden Seiten des Stegs ein, wodurch der Ton süsser und lieblicher wurde. Die Formen ihrer F-Löcher und der Ecken zeigen die folgenden Abbildungen.

Second son of Andrea Amati, b. about 1562; d. Nov. 2, 1630. Worked with his brother Antonio till 1628. The earliest reliable date in connection with them is 1577. They produced the first form of the instrument known as “Amatise.” The pattern first followed, similar to that of Andrea, was more arched than that used later. Their instruments are few in number, but in good preservation, generally small size (the back often in one piece), of accurate proportions, slightly arched towards the middle, with strongly marked grooves at the sides ; the scrolls vary, often richly worked, the corners and the purfling are carefully done, the edges just overlap the sides; the wood generally maple or deal ; the varnish, deeper in colour on the earlier instruments (possibly owing to old age), is later of an orange colour, thinly laid on, and throws up the grain of the wood very distinctly. The tone is far more powerful than in Andrea’s instruments. A violin signed by them and dated 1595, which belonged to Henri IV. of France, is of historical value. It is made on a large pattern, the oil varnish a brilliant amber colour, the purfling of tortoiseshell, and on the back are painted the royal arms of France and Navarre, &c.
a similar one in a viola dated 1620 : ” Antonius et Hieronymus Amatus, Cremonen, Andreae fil. F. 1592 ” ;
a similar one dated 1624.
After 1624, Girolamo worked alone, making both large and small violins ; the former were the finest instruments, much arched, with broad purfling, good scroll, and varnish yellow-brown colour; beautiful tone, but the fourth string was not equal to the others.
Girolamo married first Ippolita Zuchielli (d. 1583), then Laura Lazzarini on May 24, 1584; she had nine children, the fifth child being Nicola, who became the most celebrated maker in the family.