Born in 1774 in Boretto, on the Emilian side of the Po river, Giuseppe Dall'Aglio moved to Mantua before 1797, when we already find him in the Lombard dukedom, initially occupied as a coachman. Already from this period, the young man had to cultivate some musical interest, proven by his acquaintance with the famous violinist Alessandro Zanti, who was also interested in lutherie. The intention to devote himself to the making of instruments must have matured in Dall'Aglio around 1810, and initially it must have been cultivated together with his brother-in-law Sante Coppi.
Around 1830, the careers of the two luthiers seem to be more autonomous, and the work of Dall'Aglio, more charming and spontaneous, today enjoys greater success thanks also to a good production that included violins, violas and cellos. The models of this maker vary a lot in the proportions, but have a characteristic outline, with rather angular C bouts; the corners are long and tapered and the f-holes usually have a positioning that converges towards the bottom. The heads have a small scroll, especially the second turn, and a shallow throat, while the front of the volute is carved with a hollowed central line which echoes Tommaso Balestrieri.
