This viol (viola da gamba) has the inscription "Arwit Rönnegren I Kattarp I Lugede Herat Anno 1736" and can be found at the Swedish museum of performing arts (formerly known as Stockholm music museum). Follow the external link to see this fantastic instrument which is similar to the tree year older Bostongamban.
Arwit (also Arved, Arwitt) Rönnegren lived in Kattarp just outside Ängelholm but unfortunately he is rather unknown despite his impressive work. You can find Arfved Röngren and Rungren in church records and there is a note with the text "Arwit Rönnegren i Katarp i Lugede Herat anno 1737" in one of his violins. Spelling was rather flexible at this time and many people spelled their own name in different ways in different occasions. Arwit was born around 1680 and is about 10 years older than Johannes (Johan) Georg Mohte. The instrument built by these two luthiers are quite similar and they have probably had some kind of collaboration. According to Bengt Nilssons Svensk fiolbyggarkonst they were inprisoned in Russia togehter and Bengt believes that Rönnegren just like Mohte aquired his professional skills there. Rönnegrens wife Anna Gabrielsdotter was 22 years older than Arwit but both of them died in 1737 when Anna was 79 and Arwit 57. Despite this, Arwit managed to remarry after the death of Anna, and had a son with 31 year old Hanna Ingemansdotter. However Arwit died before Hanna gave birth to Arfved Arvedson 19th of May 1738.
Name | Arwitgamban M285 |
Type | Viola da Gamba |
Luthier | Arwit Rönnegren |
Year | 1736 |
Origin | Kattarp, Skåne |
Found in | Scenkonstmuseet, Stockholm |
Playing strings | 7 |
Sympathetic strings | 0 |
External link | External link |
Other instruments built by Arwit Rönnegren | BulanJamtlifiolenBostongambanKulturenfiolen |
Other instruments with edge intarsia | MohteEdvinMohte 2MeyergambanKulturencellonKulturengambanAngeredsfiolen |
Other instruments with a lion head | TuppenKarlhamnsfiolenElvisBulanGöteborgsfiolenEdvinSödlingTielkegamban M2475JamtlifiolenBostongambanKulturenfiolenDubbeltulpanenTrippeltulpanenKulturencellonKulturengambanNils NilssonAngeredsfiolen |