Evidently an adventuresome young man, Paolo de Barbieri ran away from home to become a sailor at the age of thirteen and returned to Genoa six years later, in 1908. He then apprenticed to Cesare Candi before serving in the navy and returning to work for his teacher. Around 1918 de Barbieri opened his own shop, where he produced over 350 instruments over his 40-year career, adhering to the external model of construction favored by Candi. The Cannon ‘del Gesù’ was his usual model, especially early in his career, while he turned to Stradivari in his final decade. His work is clean and precise, and the varnish color varies with the date of production.