Jean baptiste vuillaume biography templates

French luthier and inventor (1798–1875)

Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (French pronunciation:[ʒɑ̃batistvɥijom]; 7 Oct 1798 – 19 March 1875) was a French luthier, executive, inventor and winner of profuse awards.^[5][6] His workshop made go over 3,000 instruments.

Early life

Vuillaume was born in Mirecourt, where fulfil father and grandfather were luthiers.

Career

Vuillaume moved to Paris lecture in 1818 to work for François Chanot. In 1821, he spliced the workshop of Simon Lété, François-Louis Pique's son-in-law, at Sombre Pavée St.

Sauveur. He became his partner and in 1825 settled in the Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs under the name of "Lété et Vuillaume". His first labels are dated 1823.

In 1827, at the height of primacy Neo-Gothic period, he started detect make imitations of old tools, some copies were undetectable.^[7]

In 1827, he won a silver laurel at the Paris Universal Traveling fair, and in 1828, he in progress his own business at 46 Rue Croix des Petits-Champs.

His workshop became the most salient in Paris and within note years, it led Europe. Calligraphic major factor in his attainment was his 1855 purchase last part 144 instruments made by authority Italian masters for 80,000 francs, from the heirs of Luigi Tarisio, an Italian tradesman. These included the Messiah Stradivarius extremity 24 other Stradivari.^[8]

In 1858, play a role order to avoid Paris tariff duty on wood imports, filth moved to Rue Pierre Demours near the Ternes, outside Town.

He was at the high point of success, having won diverse gold medals in the competitions of the Paris Universal Exhibitions in 1839, 1844 and 1855; the Council Medal in Writer in 1851 and, in think about it same year, the Legion reveal Honour.^[8]

A maker of more overrun 3,000 instruments—almost all of which are numbered—and a fine employee, Vuillaume was also a able inventor, as his research weigh down collaboration with the acoustics scholar Félix Savart demonstrates.

As potent innovator, he developed many another instruments and mechanisms, most markedly a large viola which put your feet up called a "contralto", and rendering three-string Octobass (1849–51),^[9] a great triple bass standing 3.48 metres high.

He also created dignity hollow steel bow^[10] (particularly understood by Charles de Bériot, amidst others), and the 'self-rehairing' bend.

For the latter, the wool purchased in prepared hanks could be inserted by the contestant in the time it takes to change a string, captain was tightened or loosened vulgar a simple mechanism inside interpretation frog. The frog itself was fixed to the stick, accept the balance of the nod thus remained constant when nobleness hair stretched with use.

He also designed a round-edged adornment mounted to the butt moisten means of a recessed boundary, which he encouraged his bowmakers to use; other details condemn craft, however, make it likely to identify the actual director of many Vuillaume bows. Representation bows are stamped, often in or by comparison faintly, either "vuillaume à paris" or "j.b.

vuillaume".

Other innovations include the insertion of Stanhopes in the eye of honesty frogs of his bows, undiluted kind of mute (the pédale sourdine) and several machines, together with one for manufacturing gut conditions of perfectly equal thickness.

Many of the great bow makers of the 19th century collaborated with his workshop.

Jean Pierre Marie Persois, Jean Adam, Dominick Peccatte, Nicolas Rémy Maire, François Peccatte, Nicolas Maline, Joseph Speechifier, Pierre Simon, François Nicolas Voirin, Charles Peccatte, Charles Claude Husson, Joseph Fonclause, Jean Joseph Thespian, and Prosper Colas are between the most celebrated.

Vuillaume was an innovative violin maker brook restorer, and a tradesman who traveled all of Europe strengthen search of instruments.

Due reach this fact, most instruments infant the great Italian violin makers passed through his workshop. Vuillaume then made accurate measurements short vacation their dimensions and made copies of them.

He drew rule inspiration from two violin makers and their instruments: Antonio Stradivarius and his "Le Messie" (Messiah), and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù and his "Il Cannone" which belonged to Niccolò Paganini; plainness such as Maggini, Da Salò and Nicola Amati were likewise imitated, but to a ancillary extent.

Vuillaume made numerous copies of his favorite violin "Le Messie", the more noteworthy amidst them being:^[5]

Vuillaume was able advance craft such a perfect reproduction of "Il Cannone", that down tools viewing them side by result in, Paganini was unable to hint at which was the original.

Loosen up was able to recognize rectitude master instrument only upon take notice of subtle differences in tone at hand playing.^[8]

The copy violin was finally passed on to Paganini's one student, Camillo Sivori. Sivori infamous great violins by Nicolò Fiddle, Stradivari, and Bergonzi, but greatness Vuillaume was his favourite.

That violin is owned by rectitude Musei Di Genova and displayed in their Palazzo Tursi.^[17]

When conception these copies, Vuillaume always remained faithful to the essential goods of the instruments he subsidiary – their thickness, the preference of the woods, and grandeur shape of the arching.

Loftiness only differences, always the solution of a personal decision, were the colour of the hair, the height of the ribs or the length of rank instruments.

His most beautiful violins were often named after justness people who owned them (Caraman de Chimay, Cheremetoff, Doria)^[18]

Vuillaume uncommonly named his instruments: twelve were named after birds, for instance the "Golden Pheasant", "The Thrush" and twelve were named make sure of the apostles such as "St.

Joseph" and "Saint Paul". Unadorned few others were also person's name after important biblical characters "The Evangelists" and Millant, in authority book on Vuillaume, mentions uncomplicated "St. Nicholas".^[19]

A rare violin antisocial Vuillaume (c. 1874, Paris) showcases inlaid ebony fleur-de-lys designs stomach is one of the clutch instruments to come out adequate Vuillaume's workshop, made a era before his death.

Crafted funding the famous violin dealer King Laurie, "Label reads: Jean Baptiste Vuillaume a Paris, 3 Awful Demour-Ternes, expres pour mon ami David Laurie, 1874", numbered 2976 and signed on the marker. It's a copy of on the rocks Nicolò Amati violin originally connection to Prince Youssoupoff (a Country aristocrat and pupil of Henri Vieuxtemps).

Only six copies were made.^[20]

He also had practice violins, known as "St. Cécile violins",^[21] made by his brother Nicolas de Mirecourt. Another lesser underline, also made by Nicolas, was labelled "Stentor".

His main excise to violin-making was his stick on varnish. The purfling's joints are often cut on class straight and not on probity bias as was traditional, always the middle in the curve.

His brand is burnt varnish a length of 1 cm. Just about is generally a black fleck on the joint of excellence top under the bridge. Type used an external mould. Righteousness stop is generally 193 mm apologize. In this respect he gos next to the French 18th-century institution of a short stop (190 mm), which was traditionally 195 mm grovel in Italy and even 200 mm long in Germany.

The violin's serial number is inscribed livestock the middle inside the contrivance. Its date (only the ransack two figures) in the doomed paraph on the back. Cap violins of the first stint have large edges and emperor brand was then burnt interior the middle bouts. The wool varied from orange-red to open to the elements.

After 1860, his varnish became lighter.

In addition to representation above-mentioned bow makers, most 19th-century Parisian violin makers worked nondescript his workshop, including Hippolyte Silvestre, Jean-Joseph Honoré Derazey, Charles Buthod, Charles-Adolphe Maucotel, Télesphore Barbé, Saul Bailly and George Gemünder.

Nestor Audinot, a pupil of Sébastien Vuillaume, himself Jean-Baptiste's nephew, succeeded him in his workshop acquire 1875.

Vuillaume died at description height of his career, near regarded as the pre-eminent luthier of his day.

World slant price

• London, 30 October 2012 – Sotheby's: GBP 145,250 (US$231,160) – "Saint Paul" J. B. Vuillaume violin copy of the "Messiah" Stradivarius, Paris, circa 1870^[22]
• London, 28 March 2013 – Bromptons: GBP 162,000 (US$251,619) – J.

  Touchy. Vuillaume, Paris, circa 1860, stern Stradivarius^[23]

• London, 30 October 2013 – Tarisio Auctions, London: GBP 163,200 (US$262,275) – J. B. Vuillaume violin, Paris^[24]
• London, 22 October 2019 – Tarisio Auctions: GBP 350,000 (US$452,380, EUR 406,291) – Count.

  B. Vuillaume cello copy style the "Duport" Stradivarius, Paris, 1845

• London, 8 June 2021 – Ingles & Hayday: £384,000 (US$533,597) – "Tsar Nicholas"; ex-Stern violin brush aside J.B. Vuillaume, Paris, circa 1840-41 ^[25]

Specimen labels

• J.B. Vuillaume No. 4, Chez N.A. Lété rue Pavée-Saint-Sauveur no.

  20 á Paris 1823

• Jean Baptiste Vuillaume á Paris, clean Croix des Petits Champs
• Jean Baptiste Vuillaume á Paris, 3 mourn Demours-Ternes

The signature is usually followed by a doubly encircled JBV (J&B are joined). Early circle, it was doubly encircled JBV. The labels at "Rue Croix Petits Champs" began using greatness doubly encircled JBV (J&B joined), which remained the same delusion "3.

rue Demours-Ternes" labels. Spitting image addition, most specimens have far-out number associated with them.

Awards and medals

• In 1827, Silver honour at the French Industrial Treatise of 1827
• In 1834, Silver award at the French Industrial Revelation of 1834
• In 1844, Gold ribbon at the French Industrial Tract of 1844
• In 1849, Gold trim at the French Industrial Natter of 1849
• In 1851, Council ribbon at the Great Exhibition flimsy London for "new modes counterfeit making violins, in such straighten up manner that they are complete and perfected immediately on influence completion of the manufacture, so avoiding the necessity of ownership them for considerable periods give a lift develop their excellencies"^[26]
• In 1855, Wealth apple of one`s e medal at the Paris Ubiquitous Exhibition

The Vuillaume family

• Jean Vuillaume – ancestor of Jean-Baptiste.

  His historicity is disputed as a assembly of Jean-Baptiste who may imitate been trying to create expert mythology of family descendants bright and breezy far back to Italy.

• Claude Vuillaume – oldest family member, clever lute maker
• Claude François Vuillaume Irrational (1730–1770)
• Charles François Vuillaume (1755–1779 – particularly known for his manufacture and the mellow and impressionable tone of his instruments
• Claude François Vuillaume II (1772–1834) – clergyman of the Jean-Baptiste
• Charles-Francois Vuillaume II (born 1797) – eldest top soil of Claude François Vuillaume II
• Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798–1875)
• Nicolas Vuillaume (1800–1871) – third son of Claude François Vuillaume II.

  Made wonderful, extreme quality instruments in Mirecourt. Prohibited would ship some of reward instruments to Paris to suit later completed by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume and sold at J.B. Vuillaume’s Paris shop. He also unchanging a brand of instruments alarmed 'Stentor'.

• Nicolas François Vuillaume (1802–1876) – fourth son of Claude François Vuillaume II.

  The most slighter luthier of the Vuillaume brotherhood next only to his kin Jean-Baptiste. Established his own mill, with a fine reputation, put in Brussels.

• Joseph François Vuillaume (1804–1856) – worked in Mirecourt, then Town, and finally Lyon.
• Claude-François Vuillaume (1807–1853) – fifth son of Claude François Vuillaume II, father longedfor Sébastien
• Sébastian Vuillaume (1835–1875) – nephew of Jean-Baptiste, worked with dominion uncle during the golden period
• Vuillaume, Gustave Eugène – born disrespect Mirecourt 1899.

  Pupil of Mougenot and Jacquent Gand. Workmanship avoid general appearance qualify this villain as successful in Guarnerian model. Oil varnish typically of gauzy yellow to dark reddish brown.

Players

• Charles Auguste de Bériot (1802–1870)
• Camillo Sivori (1815–1894), played on a Vuillaume copy of Paganini's "Il Cannone" (which Paganini gave to him).
• Ole Bull (1810–1880)
• Ricardo Cyncynates (1961), 1873 "The David"
• Ferdinand David (1810–1873)
• Jean-Delphin Alard (1815–1888)
• Henri Vieuxtemps (1820–1881) c.1874 (now known as ex-Vieuxtemps)
• Jules Garcin (1830–1896) copy of "Le Messie" (Messiah) Stradivari 1868 without number.
• Joseph Fiddler (1831–1907)
• Sophie Humler^[27] (1841-1918) ex-Sophie Humler copy of Stradivari 1863
• Eugène Ysaÿe (1858–1931)
• Josef Suk (1874–1935)
• Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962)
• Jacques Thibaud (1880–1953)
• Naoum Blinder (1889–1965) ex-Blinder 1845-50
• Efrem Zimbalist (1889–1985)
• Jack Benny (1894–1974) now known as the ex-Jack Benny 1845
• Nina Dolce (Georgina Springer) (1897-d.?) ex-Hamma 1828
• Toscha Seidel (1899–1962) copy of the Alard Strad 1860 (now known as ex-Seidel)
• Louis Kaufman (1905–1994) copy of "La Pucelle" Stradivari #1489 c.1839
• Nathan Posner (collector Beverly Hills, California) (?-1962) ex-Chimay viola 1865 and ex-Sophie Humler 1863
• Pierre Fournier (1906–1986) ex-'Count Doria' cello 1863
• Ruggiero Ricci (1918–2012)
• Marinus Snoeren (1919–1982), played on high-mindedness Vuillaume Cello, currently in drudgery of Rien Snoeren
• Adolph F.

  Schrader (Chicago), American, Violinist played endeavor the ex-Garcin 1868 also recourse Strad copy of 1860 #2390

• Henryk Szeryng (1918–1988) Messiah Strad ersatz which he gave to Consort Sovereign Rainier III of Monaco
• Isaac Stern (1920–2001) A copy promote to the "Stern, ex Panette" Guarnerius del Gesu of 1737 (c. 1850) also ex-Nicolas I clutch 1840
• Arthur Grumiaux (1921–1986) 1866 (now known as ex-Grumiaux) now bogus by Jennifer Koh
• Josef Hassid (1923–1950) ex-Kreisler
• Endre Granat (1937) Guarneri simulation 1866
• Patrice Fontanarosa (1942)
• Jean Etienne Drouet (1942–1990) ex-Drouet 1827 No.73" limit labelled "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 1706"
• Pinchas Zukerman (1948)
• Young-Uck Trail away ex-Paganini; ex-Kreisler 1860
• André Rieu (1949)
• Oliver Jaques (Zurich) ex-Nicolas I:ex-Isaac No-nonsense 1840
• Stewart Eaton (English, Violist) 'Count Doria' viola 1848
• Barry Hou ex-Zukerman
• Laszlo Sirsom (1953)
• Chin Kim (1957) plays on 1843 Stradivari model
• Richard Guitarist (1958) plays an early Cannone copy made in 1828.
• Mark Author (1961) plays an 1830s Vuillaume^[28]
• Ingolf Turban (1964)
• Gennady Filimonov (196?) plays on the ex-Garcin Vuillaume
• Cihat Aşkın (1968)
• Giovanni Radivo (1969)
• Alexander Kerr (1970)
• Michael Jelden (1971)
• Manrico Padovani (1973) plays on a Vuillaume 1870 (copy of the Strad Messiah) station on a Vuillaume 1845 (copy of 'Il Cannone' Guarnerius be unable to find 1743)
• Tiffany Wu (1978)
• Hilary Hahn (1979) plays on the ex- Lande of 1864 (copy of 'Il Cannone' Guarnerius of 1743)
• Catherine Manoukian (1981), plays on the ex-Ysaÿe Vuillaume
• Myvanwy Ella Penny (1984)
• Nemanja Radulovic (1985) plays a J.B.

  Vuillaume violin from 1843.

• Pierre Fouchenneret (1985)
• Lorenzo Gatto (1986) plays a Pants Baptiste Vuillaume
• Vilde Frang (1986) plays on an 1864 Vuillaume
• Olga Kholodnaya (1987) plays on an 1853 Vuillaume "The Blade"
• Nadir Khashimov (1990) plays on an 1828 Vuillaume
• William Shaub (1992) plays on par 1865 Vuillaume
• Modigliani quartet (2003) plays on a J.B.

  Vuillaume record quartet "The Evangelists" (1863)

• Guillaume Latour (1981-) plays on a 1830 Vuillaume
• EnAccord String Quartet (1998) plays on 2 violins (1829) roost a viola (1867) from J.B. Vuillaume
• Hsiao-mei Ku of the Ciompi Quartet performs on a fictive made by J.B.Vuillaume^[29]
• Jagdish Mistry scold Rafal Zambrzycki-Payne of Ensemble Fresh both play on violins through by J.B.

  Vuillaume.

• Gabriel Voicu because 2019 owner of "ex-Hamma" Vuillaume after playing 26 years establishment his own "G. Voicu Unmixed. Stradivarius"
• YoungJung KIM(2023) certificated by YoungChan KIM
• Olgu Kızılay (1977) plays impact a Vuillaume 1862

Quotes

What set him apart from the rest wreckage that he was not nonpareil an artist without equal, however also a tireless seeker holiday perfection to whom there was no such thing as nonperformance.

It was this driving authority which shone through his lifetime and made his work immortal.

— Roger Millant, Paris 1972.^[14]

The makers scholarship France and the Low Countries more or less followed European models, and during the help out century there have been profuse excellent French copyists of Stradivarius and Guarnieri; two of probity best are noticed under Lupot and Vuillaume: besides these all round have been Aldric, G.

Chanot the elder, Silvestre, Maucotel, Mennegand, Henry, and Rambaux.

— George Grove, ed., A Dictionary of Music coupled with Musicians

Together with Nicolas Lupot, Vuillaume is the foremost French stringed instrument maker and the near important of the Vuillaume coat of luthiers

— E.

Jaeger, curator homework the Vuillaume exhibit in Cité de la Musique.^[30]

The names disregard Maucotel, Medard, Mennegand, Silvestre, advocate Derazay, and above all Vuillaume, must always shed an enduring lustre upon the little locality in the Vosges mountains.

— H.

Heed. Haweis, Old Violins and Kit \' Lore

In 1775 Paolo contracted permission sell these instruments [the 10 remaining from his father's workshop] and other things from realm father's shop to Count Cozio di Salabue, one of grandeur most important collectors in history; and although Paolo died formerly the transaction was concluded, Salabue acquired the instruments.

Salabue reserved the 'Messiah' until 1827, conj at the time that he sold it to Luigi Tarisio, a fascinating character who, from small beginnings, built obsession an important business dealing sieve violins. However, Tarisio could keen bear to part with that instrument. Instead, he made criterion a favorite topic of review, and intrigued dealers on enthrone visits to Paris with back of this marvelous 'Salabue' funny business, as it was then denominated, taking care, however, never standing bring it with him.

Susceptible day Tarisio was discoursing fall prey to Vuillaume on the merits short vacation this unknown and marvelous device, when the violinist Delphin Alard, who was present, exclaimed: 'Then your violin is like greatness Messiah: one always expects him but he never appears' ('Ah, ça, votre violon est donc comme le Messie; on l'attend toujours, et il ne parait jamais').

Thus the violin was baptized with the name gross which it is still important. Tarisio never parted with nobility violin and not until circlet death in 1854 had a man outside Italy seen it. Lure 1855, Vuillaume was able simulation acquire it, and it remained with him, also until monarch death. Vuillaume guarded the 'Messiah' jealously, keeping it in clever glass case and allowing rebuff one to examine it.

But, he did allow it stick at be shown at the 1872 Exhibition of Instruments in ethics South Kensington Museum, and that was its first appearance inspect England. After Vuillaume's death hit 1875, the violin became illustriousness property of his two posterity and then of his son-in-law, the violinist Alard. After Alard's death in 1888, his progeny sold the 'Messiah' in 1890 to W.E.

Hill and Curriculum on behalf of a Communal. R. Crawford of Edinburgh irritated 2,600 British pounds, at go off at a tangent time the largest sum at any time paid for a violin.

— David Pattern. Boyden, London 1969^[31]

Vuillaume's ideal, splendid by constant study and polish of his own rare going against nature powers of observation he derivative such an intimate knowledge become calm judgement of Stardivari's work twist every detail, that he muscle almost be said to verbal abuse better acquainted with the maker's instruments than the master myself.

Vuillaume soon found the vending of violins, issued as additional works without any semblance hark back to antiquity, an unprofitable undertaking be proof against, recognizing the growing demand restore all parts of the false for instruments resembling the summative works of Cremona, he chart to apply his great expertise as a workman, and crown extraordinary familiarity with Stradivari's models, to the construction of loyal copies of the greatmaster's deeds.

This was the foundation promote to his success, for the pristine copies found a ready selling, and orders poured in higher than Vuillaume from all parts outline the world. These instruments, imitations though they were, had excessive intrinsic merit; and it disintegration to be remembered that they were copies made from peerless models, with fidelity and bell such as only a zealous worshipper and a great owner of his art could slap.

He spared no pains crate striving after perfection in say publicly quality of his materials, countryside he treated the obscure keep from difficult problem of the lacquer (the secret of which, in that applied by the old Romance masters, seems to have deadly with them) with a come after which has probably not antediluvian equalled by any other grower since their time.

Interpretation number of these instruments end result his name is enormous, encouragement of two thousand five platoon being known to exist; move many of them he appreciative throughout with his own assistance. and we have it feel the best authority that now and then instrument was varnished by consummate own hand."

— W.E.

Hill & Analysis, London 1902^[32]

Jean Baptiste was inherent in Mirecourt, where he non-natural until he was 19. Settle down then went to Paris site the influence of François Chanot led him to approach violoncello making in a scientific step. This led to his discover of acoustics, analyses of varnishes, and to experimentation of different kinds.

He won many ransack and achieved recognition as rectitude greatest technical genius of coronate time, surpassed in French fictitious making only by Nicolas Lupot.

— Smithsonian Institution

As to the numbering usage, for the most part, surmount instruments were numbered. But excellence very fine copies especially those of 'Le Messie' Strad, Guarnieri Del Gesu 'Canon' and Depict Gesu 'David'(which Ferdinand David owned) and Maggini are without Number(s).

According to Doring's tabulation (made between 1947 and 1961), Vuillaume made at least 78 channels between the 1830s and 1874 that he did not reliable by number, that are "outstanding and magnificent.

— Gennady Filimonov, 2007

References

Sources

External links