ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the making of violins and related objects at several critical junctures, including Renaissance and early industrial Europe as well as today’s era of globalism. Most stories about violin-making focus on exceptional European artisans from centuries ago and emphasize the artistry and perfection of their work. Meanings attached to violins can be glimpsed through the contexts in which the instruments were played and depicted. The origin and spread of violins involves several processes associated with cultural change. The production of violins, especially since the late 20th century, has been shaped by globalization. Violin-making in Mirecourt in the 1700s offers an example of the close relationship between production and other social, economic, and political factors. The persistence and revival of violin-making figures in the identity of places beyond Europe. Until mid-19th-century commoditization, people in the region handmade their own violins and other acoustic string instruments.
