Pietro Antonio Della Caesto

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By George Hart

The label he used is curious. He copied the Brothers Amati with much skilfulness. The sound-holes are like those of the early instruments of the Amatis; the varnish is golden in colour and excellent in quality; the scroll, is a weak feature. DARDELLI, Pietro, Mantua, about 1500. Is described as a maker of Lutes and Viols. M. Fetis relates, in his " Biographic des Musiciens," that the painter Richard, of Lyons, possessed about the year 1807 a beautiful Lute by this maker, which was made for the Duchess of Mantua. The instrument is described as richly inlaid with ebony, ivory, and silver, dated 1497, and having the name " Padre Dardelli." On the belly the Mantuan arms are represented. M. Fetis was unable to discover any tidings of this interesting instrument after the death of Richard. It may be mentioned that Dardelli was a Franciscan monk at Mantua, and occupied himself with making musical instruments and inlaying them. Work of any kind executed under such circumstances is rarely found to be other than artistic. Time was not monetarily appraised, hence the labour undertaken was a labour of love.

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