Viola d'amore

Do you know what a violin is? It's a musical instrument that you can play by using a bow (a stick with tight strings attached to it) to produce sound from the strings of the instrument. Now, a viola d'amore is a special kind of violin that has more strings and sounds different from a regular violin.

The viola d'amore has a hollow body that is shaped like an hourglass. And it has many strings that stretch across the body of the instrument. But not all of the strings are played directly, some of them vibrate in sympathy with the main strings when they are played, which creates a beautiful and unique sound.

Also, the viola d'amore often has a curved neck with fancy decorations on it, like carvings and inlays. Sometimes the neck even has a little wooden "rose" at the top that looks like a small flower.

People have been playing the viola d'amore for hundreds of years in different parts of the world. It was especially popular during the Baroque music period, which was a really long time ago. And, some musicians still play it today. It's a very special instrument that can create beautiful and unique music that is different from other instruments.