Since 10 June 2015, the oldest cello in the world is exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Made by an Italian luthier Andrea Amati (1570), of the Cremonese school, and kept in the Royal Chapel of Versailles by Louis XVI until his death during the invasion of the insurgents in Versailles in 1789.
The cello nicknamed "King“, Was built to be used at the court of Charles IX of France (1560-1574), son of Catherine of the Medici. Carlo loved hunting above all other disciplines, also dedicating a book to the subject (The Chasse Royale - published after his death in 1625), nevertheless the order of the cello bore the royal signature. 38 stringed instruments including 8 cellos were ordered.
The emblem of Karol, indicated with the golden letter K , is painted on the instrument together with the words of the motto STRIKE e IVSTICIA which are on the side of the box.
The Commission responsible for drawing up the expert report in May 1966 recognized the great value
artistic and historical of the instrument and concluded that it was suitable in all respects ".
Coming from the famous collection Henry Hottinger, passed later to
Wurlitzer House in New York, was purchased from the latter by the Provincial Tourism Board of Cremona, and then donated to the city on February 25, 1966.
The original cello size was slightly larger. It was reduced in 1801 by the luthier Sebastian Renault removing some pieces of wood. This is the reconstruction of the interventions.
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The original drawing, from a reconstruction, was this represented (Justice and Pietà and the coat of arms with the Medici lilies)
Andrea Amati was the great-grandfather of Nicolò Amati - who also boasts esteemed violins dollars 600.000 - who was workshop master of Antonio Stradivari e Andrew Guarnieri.
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Fabio Pesce
