Stradivari's varnish: a chemical analysis

The exact composition of Cremonese varnish – and that used by Stradivari in particular – has been discussed many times, often in these pages. But despite the increasing fondness of scientists for the subject, and the publication of a small number of analytical surveys in the past 60 years, no clarification has been achieved; if anything, the reverse is true.

We began our research in 2003 at the instigation of Stéphane Vaiedelich, head of the laboratory at the Musée de la Musique in Paris, and from the outset it was clear to us that a multi-approach method, inspired by those used in archaeology and conservation science, could shed new light on the historical techniques and materials used by instrument makers. We were especially fortunate that the Musée de la Musique’s instruments are freed from market considerations, and the museum’s protocols allowed us to conduct and publish our research freely.

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