Tiziano Bissolotti violin, Cremona 1982

Contemporary Cremonese violin maker Tiziano Bissolotti (1959–1995) was born into a prolific family of luthiers. He learned the rudiments of his craft alongside his 3 violin-making brothers in the renowned workshop of their father, Francesco. In 1974, Tiziano formally enrolled in the Violin making School in Cremona where his father was teaching, though he was a familiar face at the school prior to his enrollment. Tiziano did not graduate from the program, but preferred to establish himself in his father’s workshop, where he found immense guidance and resources to assist him in honing his techniques. In the early 1980s, he spent two years in Paris working with violin maker and restorer Renè Quenoil. He then returned to the family workshop, where he remained until his premature death. Despite his relatively short life, Tiziano is said to have produced around 100 instruments, and his work is highly admired by players and collectors around the world.