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Explore Artisans Museums & Galleries Experience Itineraries About
©Francesco Toto Liutaio
©Francesco Toto Liutaio
©Francesco Toto Liutaio
©Francesco Toto Liutaio

Francesco Toto

Francesco Toto Luthier
Contact
Italian, English
Hours:
Monday to Saturday 08:30 - 12:30/15:30 - 19:30
Phone:
+39 3924871666
©Francesco Toto Liutaio

From Lecce to Cremona

  • • Francesco's workshop is located in the Barbò-Meroni Palace
  • • He undertook a brief work experience in Berlin
  • • He opened his workshop in August 1997 in Cremona

Francesco Toto has always nurtured an “artistic need”, ever since he was a child. At 18 years old, following this passion, he moved to Cremona with the aim of studying guitar construction. "I came here because in this city there are around 150-180 luthier workshops" he says, "and people from around the world - such as China, Korea and Japan - come to buy their musical instruments. I was in the right place." But Francesco gets bored easily and being a well-known violin maker wasn’t enough for him. So he decided to improve his work thanks to a famous master luthier, Igor Moroder, who taught him something really important: "You can’t be a good violin maker if you don’t know how to play a violin".

Read the full interview

Works

  • ©Francesco Toto Liutaio
  • ©Francesco Toto Liutaio
  • ©Francesco Toto Liutaio
  • ©Francesco Toto Liutaio
Photo: ©Francesco Toto Liutaio
Cello Triennale

This cello was awarded two gold medals at the XI international violin making competition: Antonio Stradivari International Triennial of violin making in Cremona. The body is made from two pieces of spruce from Val di Fiemme and the back, sides, neck and scroll are crafted from Balkan maple. It is owned by the Antonio Stradivari Foundation and is part of the permanent collection of the Cremona Violin Museum.

Photo: ©Francesco Toto Liutaio
Cello Triennale

This cello was awarded two gold medals at the XI international violin making competition: Antonio Stradivari International Triennial of violin making in Cremona. The body is made from two pieces of spruce from Val di Fiemme and the back, sides, neck and scroll are crafted from Balkan maple. It is owned by the Antonio Stradivari Foundation and is part of the permanent collection of the Cremona Violin Museum.

Photo: ©Francesco Toto Liutaio
Diamond Violin

This violin was commissioned by violinist Edvin Marton. The body of the violin is crafted from spruce, dated circa to 1730 using dendroecology. The back, sides, neck and scroll are made using Balkan maple. The violin is adorned with 201 diamonds as well as ebony and mother-of-pearl inlays on the head and back bands. This violin is a unique piece in the world.

Photo: ©Francesco Toto Liutaio
Buddhist Violin

This violin was made as a gift for the Kunpen Lama Ganchen Buddhist centre in Milan. The body is made from two pieces of spruce from Val di Fiemme and the back, sides, neck and scroll are crafted from Balkan maple. The bottom of the instrument is inlaid with the image of an infinite knot, an important and recurring symbol in Buddhist culture.

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