Matteo (I) Sellas (Seelos)

History

Matteo (I) SELLAS (SEELOS) (1599-1654) was born circa 1599 in Füssen, Germany, and died in 1654 in Venice, Italy.

He was the younger son of Michael (Michele) Sellas and the brother of Giorgio Sellas.

Matteo (I) Sellas worked separately from his brother at the sign 'alla Corona'.

Lebet reports that a Matteo Selos was working as an apprentice to Matteo Buchenberg in S. Lorenzo in Damaso, Rome, between 1613 and 1616.

Craft

• Instrument Focus: Matteo (I) Sellas was chiefly a maker of ornate plucked instruments, many of which are preserved in museums worldwide.
• Artistic Finish: According to Karel Jalovec, his guitars are finished in quite an artistic manner.
• Specific Instruments: The Liceo comunale di musica in Bologna possesses a large guitar from 1639 by him.
• Exhibited Works: In 1872, a bass lute was exhibited in the South Kensington-Museum.
• Museum Holdings: The Museum of the Paris Conservatorium holds two lutes (No. 230, 231), and the Brussels Conservatorium has a chitaronne.
• Private Collections: A lute by him is held by Claudius in Malmö.
• Kraus Museum: The Museum Kraus in Florence contains a mandoline (No. 483), a guitar (No. 499), and a theorbe (No. 513).
• Correr Collection: The collection Correr in Venice holds several calascionen by this master.
• Guitar Details: One guitar built in 1600 is 81.5 cm long, with its neck inlaid with ivory; the body is 46.5 cm long and 26.5 cm wide, and the sides are 10 cm high, as detailed by Karel Jalovec.

Influence

• Workshop Importance: His workshop was the most important and influential in Venice at that time.
• Employment: His workshop gave employment to many of the greatest violin makers of the following generation.
• Apprenticeship: Lebet reports that a Matteo Selos was working as an apprentice to Matteo Buchenberg in S. Lorenzo in Damaso, Rome, from 1613 to 1616.

Legacy

• Family Succession: His son Domenico (born 1624, died 1690) succeeded to the 'alla Corona' shop.
• Second Son's Shop: His younger son Zuanne (born 1639, died 1699) took over his brother's shop 'alla Stella'.
• Preserved Works: Many of his excellent works are still preserved, as noted by Willibald Leo Lütgendorff.

Further Information

• Workshop Sign: He worked at the sign 'alla Corona'.
• Brand Mark: He used the sign 'alla Corona' as a brand mark or indicated it through a crown.
• Instrument Labels: A large guitar in the Liceo Comunale di Musica in Bologna bears the label 'Matteo Sellas alia corona in Venetia, 1639'.

Summary

Matteo (I) SELLAS (SEELOS) (1599-1654) was a highly influential Venetian maker of ornate plucked instruments, born in Füssen, Germany, and active in Venice at the sign 'alla Corona'.

His workshop was central to Venetian instrument making, employing many future violin makers, and his instruments, including guitars, lutes, and theorbes, are preserved in museums worldwide.

His sons, Domenico and Zuanne, continued his family's legacy in instrument making.