A holding device for a chin rest for a string instrument, by means of which a support plate provided for supporting the chin of the player of the string instrument can be connected to the body of the string instrument, is intended on the one hand to enable an ergonomically improved posture of the player and on the other hand to improve the sound of the string instrument. For this purpose, the holding device is designed as a spring element which connects the support plate to the body in a spring-loaded manner.