Domenico Montagnana
Violin maker
(1686 – 1750)
Domenico Montagnana arrived in Venice in around 1701 at the age of 15, shortly after Matteo Gofriller had established himself as the leading light in the emerging Venetian school. However, it seems that Montagnana apprenticed not with Goffriller but with Matteo Sellas, who later also employed Carlo Tononi and Pietro Guarneri after their arrival in 1717. Montagnana opened his own shop in 1712.
Early works show the influence of Stainer, which is common in instruments of the period, but over time Montagnana adopted a broader model with flatter archings. These more characteristically Italian instruments, especially the cellos, are exceptionally fine for solo playing. The cellos employ an innovative short and broad pattern, which clearly inspired G.B. Guadagnini's cellos from the 1740s. Their richly penetrating sound ranks them among the best cellos ever made.
Price History
- The auction record for this maker is $903,924 in Jun 2010, for a violin.
- 35 auction price results.
View all auction prices for Domenico Montagnana
Instruments
Violin -
1717
Venice
the 'Ortenberg'
Violin -
1720
Venice
Violin -
1721
Venice
the 'Mackenzie'
Violin -
1721
Venice
Violin -
1721
Venice
Violin -
1723
Venice
the 'Roisman'
Violin -
1723
Venice
Violin -
1723
Venice
Violin -
1725
Venice
Violin -
1725
Venice
Violin -
1727
Venice
Violin -
1728
Venice
Violin -
1729
Venice
Violin -
1730
Venice
the 'Hubay'
Violin -
1730
Venice
Violin -
1731
Venice
the 'Bloomfield'
Violin -
1731
Venice
Violin -
1731
Venice
the 'Spalding'
Violin -
1731
Venice
Violin -
1732
Venice
the 'Wanamaker'
Violin -
1733
Venice
Violin -
1735
Venice
Violin -
1737
Venice
Violin -
1737
Venice
the 'Persinger'
Violin -
c. 1740
Venice
the 'Baron Steinheil'
Violin -
1740
Venice
Violin -
1741
Venice
Violin -
1742
Venice
the 'Tarisio, Möller'
Small Violin -
1715
Venice
Cello -
1720
Venice
Cello -
1721
Venice
the 'André Hekking'
Cello -
1721
Venice
Cello -
1723
Venice
Cello -
1729
Venice
Cello -
1730
Venice
the 'Piatti'
Cello -
c. 1730
Venice
Cello -
1733
Venice
the 'Mayes'
Cello -
1733
Venice
the 'Ex-Eisenberg'
Cello -
1735
Venice
the 'Feuermann'
Cello -
1735
Venice
Cello -
1737
Venice
the 'George Gudgeon'
Cello -
1739
Venice
the 'Sleeping Beauty'
Cello -
1739
Venice
the 'Hancock'
Cello -
c. 1739
Venice
the 'Lutyens'
Cello -
1739
Venice
Cello -
1740
Venice
Cello -
1740
Venice
the 'Suggia'
Cello -
c. 1742
Venice
the 'Haddock, Hekking, Sandby, Helmerson'
Bass -
1747
Venice
