Francesco Rugeri
Cremona 1628 - 1698
Francesco Rugeri has traditionally been considered a student of Nicolò Amati, although there is no documentary evidence that he was present in the Amati workshop. The two families certainly had close a social relationship, with Amati acting as godfather to one of Rugeri's sons. While Amati's dominance in the 17th century Cremonese violin making scene kept his rivals at bay during his lifetime, today Rugeri's instruments are nearly as renowned as Amati's.
Rugeri's most prolific period was the 1670s-80s, and his work at that time follows Amati closely. Perhaps the largest impact Rugeri made historically was his experimentation with smaller cello models, significantly before Stradivari and Andrea Guarneri began to move away from the large cello designs typical of the period. As a result, Rugeri's cellos are highly regarded today. Of the four sons who assisted him, Giovanni Battista, Giacinto, Vincenzo and Carlo, Vincenzo alone had individual success as a violin maker.
