Leandro Bisiach

Father of the Bisiach family of violin makers, Leandro was a successful businessman who promoted Milanese violin making and provided employment to a generation of Milanese makers. Born in Casale Monferrato in 1864, he first acquired his knowledge of violin making from the brothers Romeo and Riccardo Antoniazzi in around 1886. Between them they founded the Milan School of Violin Making, in which Bisiach was the dominant figure. Between 1918 and 1922 he was curator of the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, and retired from his Milan workshop in 1932, but continued to work privately until his death in 1946. The output under his name is wide and various. Initially very much under the influence of the Antoniazzi brothers, but his later work absorbed many different styles and often appeared with aged varnish finishes. Bisiach instruments were awarded prizes in numerous international exhibitions and competitions.