Lorenzo Gusnasco da Pavia (d. l5I7), one of the most important and versatile instrument makers of his day.
Lorenzo made violas da mano it appears.
Clients included Isabella d’Este in Mantua
Sforzas in Milan
Este in Ferrara
Pope Leo X in Rome
Lorenzo also made the Spanish viola for Isabella’s daughter Leonora Gonzaga, Duchess of Urbino, in 1509, claiming it to be “una belissima viola ala spagnola” (Prizer “Isabella and Lorenzo” 111, n. 93)
In 1522 Mantuan composer Marchetto Cara informed Leonora that he was bringing her “una bellisima viola da man”, the most beautiful that Lorenzo had made for her mother Isabella. (Prizer, Courtly Pastimes, 312-13.)