Nicolo Gagliano
Nicolo Gagliano was born in Naples in 1675 to violin maker Alessandro Gagliano. His father trained him as a luthier. Nicolo became an extremely talented copyist, and he made such accurate copies of Amati and Stradivari instruments that they have been mistaken for the originals. He had a stronger tendency towards classical techniques than his father.
Gagliano developed a sense of artistry early in his career, and as a result his instruments are as beautiful in appearance as they are in sound. His craftsmanship is consistently excellent. He usually used a golden yellow varnish. His workmanship became a significant part of the basis for the Neapolitan school of violin making. His four sons, Joseph, Antonio, Ferdinando, and Giovanni all went on to become successful luthiers as well.