Bartolomeo Calvarola

Bartolomeo Calvarola, an intriguing and somewhat enigmatic luthier, was born in Torre Boldone and worked in Bergamo during the mid-18th century, with documented activity around 1750 to 1770, including instruments dated to 1762. Although little is known about his training or personal life, his work reveals a highly individual and recognisable style.

Calvarola’s instruments are distinguished by their narrow, slender models with delicately pinched arches and small, refined corners. His soundholes, often inspired by the designs of Jacobus Stainer, are characteristically angled and intricately cut, contributing to the distinctive appearance of his work. His scrolls and pegboxes are oftentimes notably elongated and thin, sometimes evoking the form of viols, with a throat that ends abruptly and a volute that finishes low in the eye.

Despite the eccentricity of his designs—particularly evident in the extremely narrow head—Calvarola’s craftsmanship is consistently of good quality. He selected his materials with care, and his varnish, ranging in colour from golden-yellow to rich gold-brown, is regarded as fine and well-executed.