Matthijs Hofmans

Matthijs Hofmans (1594—1675), sometimes "Matthias" or "Matthys," was a Belgian luthier from Antwerp, the earliest member of a family dynasty whose instruments survived. He made violins, violas, cellos, theorbos, lutes, and pochettes (so-called "pocket violins," a dancing master's fiddle), with a range of instruments dated between 1619 and 1740 commonly misattributed between Hofmans III, his son Matthijs Hofmans IV, and possibly other relatives since "Matthijs" was such an ordinary first name. Most original 'Hofmans' labels were undated, typically reading: "Matthys Hofmans van Antwerpen" or "…tot Antwerpen." Hofmans primarily worked off "classic" patterns of Italian builders, from Amati to Guarneri Del Gesu, favoring a warm, dark-red varnish in a similar style. His instruments are in prominent collections worldwide, such as the Musical Instruments Museum in Brussels or Snoeck's collection in Berlin. Until a recent 2009 research published by Godelieve Spiessens in the "Bulletin des Musées Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire – Parc du Cinquantenaire Bruxelles," most biographers discerned between two Hofmans, likely father and son. Spiessens uncovered over five generations of luthiers, with up to ten possible masters who worked in Antwerp between the early XV century and 1740. (One of the earliest discovered archival records is dated October 1538 — a formal request by Jan Hofmans to the city's customs to recover luthiery tools of his son, Hans Hofmans, who died in Gdansk.) There are also conflicting historiographical sources on whether Matthijs Hofmans was or wasn't a registered member of the St. Lucas Guild; overall, attributing each instrument to a specific family member remained challenging for appraisers and researchers.