Benoît-Joseph Boussu produced carefully crafted instruments that reinterpret the Amati model with a distinctly Flemish character, though with a touch of stylistic affectation. His output included violins, violas and at least one small-format cello. Several of his instruments are preserved in the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels. This viola is one of his rare and representative examples, and boasts one of his typically boldly cut scrolls, featuring an elongated final turn and a pronounced eye. This viola is finished with a high-quality yellow-brown varnish, and its proportions, ideal for today’s professional players, give it a rich and colourful tenor voice.