Second son of Alessandro Gagliano, Gennaro was trained under the guidance of his father and later opened an independent workshop. He is often considered the best luthier of the family for the refinement of his workmanship and varnish, usually softer in texture and richer in color than other members of his family.
The models, rather short but sturdy, are inspired by the Amatis and Antonio Stradivari, who also influenced the pattern of his F-holes, usually not exceedingly long and with the enlarged curves leading to the upper and lower eyes. The model of the body has a peculiar bulge in the part leading to the corners which is also found in his nephew Ferdinando; the scroll model is also very personal: oval in the sense of the width and with a rather narrow second turn.
He used both the traditional materials typical of Cremonese violin making and sometimes maple from his area with a prominent grain which results in a characteristic "net" figure. His cellos based on a Stradivarian model are also very sought after.
