The etymology of the word, Viola or Viola da braccio indicates
that perhaps the Viola appeared slightly before the Violin when the Violin
family became an entity in Italy in the early 16th century - that is, Violino
being a diminuitive form of Viola.
It is true what AltoClef said about Violists being considered unintelligent
by the other musicians. However, Violists themselves often think they are superior
to the other musicians as well.
A musician by the name of Primrose in the early 1940s, when asked about the
differences between the violin and the viola, gave a large explanation about
tone ranges and explaining that the viola was longer, wider, and thicker, but
shortened his answer by simply saying that the viola was a "violin with a college
education."
There are also many misconceptions about the viola:
1.) "It is an orchestral instrument only." This is false. There is a vast amount
of distinguished solo music for the viola. I mean take a look at Franz Zeyringer's
huge work entitled, Literatur fur Viola. There are more than 750 pieces
written for the viola without accompaniment, 1,300 for viola with the orchestra,
and 3,000 for the viola with the piano.
2.) "The viola is unexpressive, useless, and limited." This is also false.
An instrument is only as expressive and unlimited as the creativity and mastery
of the person playing it and as useful as the composer sees it. In my experience,
a cheap viola can sound almost as pleasing in tone with an unskilled player,
as an expensive viola with a skilled player, for that is the nature of the Viola's
tone.
3.) "Nobody likes the Viola. It is inferior and it is stupid." Well, people
are entitled to their own opinion... But many of the leading composers chose
the Viola as their performing instrument. Bach preferred the viola because
then he could be "in the middle of the harmony." Beethoven played
the Viola in the court orchestra at Bonn before he permanently settled in
Vienna. Brahms, Dvorak, and Wagner all gave the viola bigger roles in
their orchestral works.