Of all the great 18th-century Italian composers of instrumental music, Giuseppe Tartini stands out for having focused his entire creative output on his favourite instrument, the violin. His works include an astounding set of 125 violin concertos and some 200 sonatas for violin and basso continuo. The sonatas reveal a more intimate side of Tartini’s artistry, in contrast to the more virtuosic concertos. Taken together, they present a complete picture of Tartini’s artistic personality. Rich in creative flair and splendid lyrical passages, the sonatas are technically no less difficult than the concertos, and contain frequent literary references for their interpretation.

Of all the items contained in the legacy now resting in his birthplace's museum, Tartini's own violin is the most historically significant. Attributed to Don Nicolò Amati, violin-maker from Bologna, the signature «p. Nicolò Amati fece in Bologna» appears inside both the violin and the museum's inventory book. The instrument has been dated to the period between 1715 and 1725.