The Violin: Its Famous Makers and Their ImitatorsHart, George
History
The Violin: Its Famous Makers and Their Imitators
Hart, George
Violin -- History; Violin makers -- Biography
He made Violins, Tenors, and Violoncellos, the latter being very
scarce. The wood used in his Violins and Tenors varies, but may be
pronounced as generally handsome; that of his Violoncellos is, on the
contrary, chiefly plain, and the workmanship somewhat careless, but
the tone is always fine in quality. Guarneri, Joseph, son of Andrea,
according to the parish register, was married on January 4, 1690, and
had six children.
GUARNERI, Pietro Giovanni, Cremona and Mantua, son of Andrea, born
February 18, 1655.
Petrus Guarnerius Cremonensis fecit
Mantuae sub-tit. Sanctae Teresiae 16--
In this maker, again, there is much originality, his work, together
with his model, differing entirely from that of his brother, and in
outline from that of his father Andrea. There is increased breadth
between the sound-holes; the sound-hole is rounded and more
perpendicular; the middle bouts are more contracted, and the model is
more raised. The scroll abounds in individuality of design. The ear is
brought out with much effect; the purfling is splendidly executed, the
corners being worked up to that extreme point of delicacy which is
characteristic of the works of Niccolo Amati. The purfling is embedded
after the manner of Amati in his "grand" instruments, but to a greater
extent. The varnish is superb; its quality is of the richest
description, and its transparency unsurpassed. Its colour varies; it
is sometimes of a golden tint, sometimes of a pale red, on which the
light plays with delightful variety. Pietro Guarneri used some of the
finest wood. The bellies are invariably wide in grain and very even.
The parish register supplies the information that Pietro was married
in the year 1677. He appears to have left Cremona for Mantua soon
after the year 1698. He visited Cremona about the period when his
father died; in which year he appears to have acted as god-father at
the christening of his brother Joseph's son Bartolommeo. Pietro
returned to Mantua, and later went to Venice, where he is said to have
died at an advanced age.
GUARNERI, Pietro, Mantua, born 1695. Son of Giuseppe filius Andrea. He
followed to some extent the form of the instruments of his uncle
Pietro, from whom, while in Mantua, he probably learnt his art. The
work is very good, and his productions are well worthy of the
Guarnerian name. The varnish is rich, but not so transparent nor so
well laid on as to come up to the full standard. The scroll is rather
weak.
GUARNERI, Giuseppe, Cremona.
Joseph Guarnerius fecit
Cremone Anno 17-- IHS
Better known as Giuseppe del Gesu, his labels having the cypher IHS
upon them. It is not known why he adopted this monogram, which is that
of the Jesuits. It is possible that he belonged to a fraternity in
Cremona, common at that period among Italian tradesmen, who banded
themselves together in various societies bearing religious titles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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