Aria (Air)

Violin “Aria”

– Italian for “Air” –

Violin “Aria” (Air) made out of olive wood and green resin – One of the 4 violins “I Quattro Elementi” (The Four Elements)

Modeled after the design by the famous Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737, Cremono, Italy).

Price: $19,900.00

This is the violin named “Aria” (Italian for “Air”), which is one of the 4 ornamental Stradivarius violins called “I Quattri Elementi” (Italian for “The Four Elements”), crafted by Dutch designer artist Dennis van Hoof. The 4 elements are:

“Aria” (Air)
“Acqua” (Water)
“Fuoco” (Fire)
“Terra” (Earth)

Specifications

Ornamental Stradivarius crafted by Dutch designer artist Dennis van Hoof.
Authenticity can be verified by checking the signature and date on the inside (visible through the key holes).
Top and bottom panels, ribs, neck and scroll carved out of kiln-dried Turkish olive wood (6 layers of protective clear varnish; no stain), with sparkling spring green resin accents.
Tuning pegs, tail piece, end button, and chin rest made of boxwood (polished; not stained), with padauk red wood trims and nickel hardware.
Traditional fingerboard, nut, and tail gut saddle carved from Indonesian ebony wood (natural black; not stained).
Bridge of Bosnian maple with ebony wood insert for the E-string (by Teller, Germany).
Concert-grade, medium gauge steel strings with ball ends and perlon core (by Fiddlershop, USA).
Nickle finetuner (by Wittner, Germany) for the E-string.

Details

(click on the photos to enlarge)

Although this is primarily a decorative ornamental piece of art, rather than a concert-grade instrument, it yearns to be heard. And with a janka hardness scale of 2,700 lbf (which is twice that of dried oak), the dense structure and heavy weight of Turkish olive wood generates a surprisingly rich and extraordinarily deep sound that is unparalleled.

Clear transparent resin elements enhance the unique imperfections, which testify the harsh conditions and portray countless seasons that the Turkish olive wood had to endure. While the stark blackness of the fingerboard and tailgut saddle made out of naturally charcoal-colored ebony wood emphasizes the soft tones of the olive wood, the bright beige of the boxwood tuning pegs, end pin, tail piece and chin rest complements the violin’s lush, mellow hues.

Vibrant gold and bronze ripples and swirls, like honey and caramel that refuse to blend, typify the soothing colors and capricious grain motifs of natural, unstained olive wood. The seemingly random and irregular grain pattern emphasizes the gentle curves of the violin’s characteristic f-holes, and harmoniously decorates the smooth bends of the ribs, and sharp angles of the corner blocks.

The classical shape of the neck and scroll, carved with both traditional and modern woodworking techniques and tools out of an unconventional selection of materials, unites established, historical craftsmanship with contemporary art and novel technologies.

IMPORTANT NOTE: if this instrument will be used for making music, then some parts of the violin (such as the fingerboard) may need to be shaped and customized to your personal preferences. Once done playing, it is best to untighten the strings to release the tension on the resin. This violin was not made using traditional luthier techniques and materials; it cannot be easily disassembled for repairs.

Send an e-mail to contact@topoarts.com or use the online inquiry form below for questions or to request more information.