Leopold Renaudin

History

Leopold RENAUDIN (1756-1795) was born in Mirecourt in 1756, though Cecie Stainer states his birth year as 1749. He died in Paris in 1795. He established himself at rue des Bouchers, Paris, from 1773, moving around 1774 to rue Saint-Honoré, at the sign 'Aux Amateurs'. He was appointed Luthier to the Conservatoire and Luthier de l'Académie Royale de Musique. According to John Dilworth, he was an ally of the ruthless revolutionary Jurist Fouquier Tinville and was tried and guillotined alongside him in 1795. Henri Poidras and Willibald Leo Lütgendorff corroborate his execution on May 7, 1795, as a member of the Tribunal Fouquier-Tinville. Lütgendorff notes that if the dates on his labels are correct, he arrived in Paris around 1775 and initially appeared very royalist, displaying the Bourbon lily and a ship on his labels. However, during the Revolution, he became a bloodthirsty member of the Tribunal. Lütgendorff also mentions that it is proven a violin maker named Leopold Renaudin was active in Gent around 1781, leading to speculation that he either arrived in Paris later or interrupted his Parisian stay.

Craft

• Workmanship: His work was inconsistent; some instruments, described by John Dilworth, seemed rather thoughtless, featuring a high arch, clumsy scroll, and oxidised dark red varnish. Henri Poidras notes his instruments were arched with a dirty red varnish, while Cecie Stainer describes the varnish as ugly, almost black, and the scroll as badly cut.
• Quality: Despite inconsistencies, his best instruments, particularly cellos and basses, showed greater refinement, often made on a good Pique/Stradivari model. Henri Poidras states that some of his instruments, chiefly his 'cellos, are of real value.
• Characteristics: Soundholes were upright and widely spaced with deep fluting to the lower wings.
• Specialization: His trade card and labels state that he 'cuts instruments that are too large' and 'recoupe quand ils sont d'une forme trop grande'.
• Notable Instruments: A cello dated 1777 and a violin of 1792 are preserved in the Musée de la Musique, Paris. Examples of his work were exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, in 1973. Several of his excellent double-basses were reportedly destroyed by fire at the Paris Opéra in 1873.

Further Information

• Addresses: He was established at rue des Bouchers, Paris, from 1773, and later at rue Saint-Honoré, near the Opéra, at the sign 'Aux Amateurs'.
• Branding and Labels: His brand was 'Renaudin à Paris'. Labels included inscriptions such as 'Fait par Léopold Renaudin à Paris 1792', 'Fait par Léopold Renaudin / Luthier de l'Académie Royale de / Musique à Paris, 1792', 'Fait par Léopold Renaudin / Luthier de L'Académie Royale de / Musique à Paris, 1780 / Aux Amateurs', and 'Aux Amateurs / Renaudin Luthier de l'Académie de Musique / rue St Honoré au coin de celle Jean St Denis. / Fait toutes sortes / d'Instruments de Musique, les raccomode, / les recoupe quand ils sont d'une forme trop grande, et / les remet en état. Il vent toutes sortes de Cordes d'Italie'.
• Sign-board: His sign-board was 'Aux Amateurs'.
• Internal Signatures: Instruments were sometimes signed internally: 'Fait par Léopold Renaudin à Paris 1792'. His mark was also sometimes branded on the scroll.
• Label Imagery: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that his labels featured the Bourbon lily surrounded by a halo and a ship.