Drawing your Bow

An iconographical survey of bows for the violin family

 

Caravaggio: violin bow from the end of the 16th. Century

Paolo Veronese: a very straight Renaissance bow

Martinelli: three long and straight bows

 

Zampieri: The Concert

Veracini: ca. 1740 long straight Italian sonata bow
Note also the high head. The bow is held at the frog, as common today

 

Honthorst, 17th. c.

 

Molenaer

 

Munari: These two bows are very similar to the original Montagnana bow in the collection