<P> Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (Italian: (ni (k) koˈlɔ ppaɡaˈniːni); 27 October 1782--27 May 1840) was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer . He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique . His 24 Caprices for Solo Violin Op. 1 are among the best known of his compositions, and have served as an inspiration for many prominent composers . </P> <P> Niccolò Paganini was born in Genoa, then capital of the Republic of Genoa, the third of the six children of Antonio and Teresa (née Bocciardo) Paganini . Paganini's father was an unsuccessful trader, but he managed to supplement his income through playing music on the mandolin . At the age of five, Paganini started learning the mandolin from his father, and moved to the violin by the age of seven . His musical talents were quickly recognized, earning him numerous scholarships for violin lessons . The young Paganini studied under various local violinists, including Giovanni Servetto and Giacomo Costa, but his progress quickly outpaced their abilities . Paganini and his father then traveled to Parma to seek further guidance from Alessandro Rolla . But upon listening to Paganini's playing, Rolla immediately referred him to his own teacher, Ferdinando Paer and, later, Paer's own teacher, Gasparo Ghiretti . Though Paganini did not stay long with Paer or Ghiretti, the two had considerable influence on his composition style . </P>

Who was the greatest violin virtuoso in the romantic period