Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume

History

Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875) was born in 1798 in Mirecourt, France, and died in 1875 in Paris. He was the second son of Claude François (IV) Vuillaume, with whom he apprenticed in Mirecourt until 1818. In 1818, he was commissioned by François Chanot to construct his radical cornerless violin designs in Paris. Sources contain conflicting information regarding his early Parisian work, with some stating he was a pupil of Georges Chanot for two years. From 1821, Vuillaume established a professional relationship with N. A. Lété in Paris, working for him exclusively. His own label first appeared in 1823, and in 1825, he established a workshop at 30 rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs in partnership with Lété, operating as Lété & Vuillaume. In 1828, he parted from Lété, married Adele Guesnet, and founded new premises at 46 rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, where he remained for nearly thirty-five years. He made the acquaintance of Paganini in 1836, which enabled him to make copies of Paganini's Guarneri del Gesù 'Cannone' violin of 1743. In 1855, Vuillaume acquired the entire collection of the eccentric Italian collector Luigi Tarisio, which included the 1716 Stradivari 'Messie' violin and many other remarkable Cremonese instruments, solidifying his position as the most important dealer in Europe. In 1858, his workshops moved to rue Pierre Demours Les Ternes, and in 1860, to 3 rue Demours. Vuillaume was a prolific maker of all bowed stringed instruments and their bows, working either by his own hand or through his carefully managed workshop, which employed some of the most skillful craftsmen in France. He co-operated with the acoustician Savart on theoretical approaches and varnish research, and with the writer François Fétis, whose seminal work Antoine Stradivari, luthier célèbre Vuillaume both contributed to and published.

Craft

• Workmanship: Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume perfected a new approach of making exact copies of classical instruments, cleverly imitating varnish wear and patina. His mature period, dating from approximately 1827, saw him produce characteristic reproductions of classical Cremonese and Brescian works, most notably those of Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesù, featuring artificially worn varnish. These instruments display faultless craftsmanship, accurate observation, and remarkable varnish effects. Nevertheless, several important instruments were made with a fully applied varnish and a perfect 'new' appearance, such as the 'Evangelist quartet,' each marked on the table with one of the names of the four biblical evangelists. Other special commissions featured painted armorials. He also made remarkable copies of the Nicolò Amati inlaid 'King Louis XIV'/'Prince Youssoupoff' 1656 violin. His earliest known works are fully varnished in dark red varnish with ebony purfling. He also made instruments in the style of Duiffoprugcar, featuring beautiful inlaid work and quaintly carved heads.
• Materials: Vuillaume sourced the finest quality wood from Switzerland and the Tyrol. He dedicated considerable care and time to the study of Stradivari's varnish, and the varnish on instruments made after 1859 was particularly beautiful.
• Innovations: Vuillaume developed string-making facilities and various ingenious fixtures and fittings. He is celebrated for ambitious ventures such as the gigantic Octo-Bass, invented around 1850 or 1851, which had three strings and reached a fourth lower than the ordinary double-bass. He also invented the Contralto in 1855 and the pedal-sourdine, or chin-mute, in 1867. In bow making, he made hollow steel bows from approximately 1834 to 1850 and patented a self-hairing bow in 1835, though both innovations failed to establish themselves. He also introduced the frog with rounded edges and the 'portrait-eye,' a miniature photograph of Vuillaume beneath a lens inlaid in the eye of the frog, created around 1845 and largely made by Voirin. He studied and accurately determined the proportions of bows made by Tourte and invented the fixed nut for bows. From 1834, he began making metal bows, producing 500 annually for ten years.
• Production: Vuillaume marketed cheaper student-grade instruments under the St Cecile trademark, which were made in Mirecourt by his brother Nicolas-François.

Influence

• Mentorship: Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume was apprenticed with his father, Claude François (IV) Vuillaume. He employed some of the most skillful craftsmen in France, including H. Silvestre (until 1831), H. Derazey, C. Buthod, C. Simonin, C. A. Maucotel, G. Gemunder, J. L. Germain, M. Mermillot, T. Barbé, L. Neuner, P. Bailly, and A. Delanoy.
• Bow Makers: From 1823 onward, he employed numerous significant bow makers, including C. Eulry, Persois, D. Peccatte, J. Fonclause, G. Maline, P. Simon, J. Voirin, F. Peccatte, F. N. Voirin, A. Lenoble, J. J. Martin, C. Peccatte, P. Colas, J. Poirson, H. R. Pfretzschner, L. Bausch, E. Leibech, C. C. Husson, J. C. Nürnberger, and T. Jacobsen. Of these, D. Peccatte, P. Simon, and F. N. Voirin became highly important and influential archetiers in the French tradition.
• Collaborations: He collaborated with the acoustician Savart and the writer François Fétis.

Legacy

• Output: Over 3,000 instruments are recorded and numbered under his name.
• Museum Collections: Vuillaume's copy of Paganini's Guarneri del Gesù 'Cannone' violin remains beside the original del Gesù violin in the Genoa Civic Museum. His Octo-Bass and Contralto are preserved in the Musée de la Musique in Paris and the Paris Conservatoire Collection, respectively.
• Awards and Recognition: He was awarded numerous medals at Paris exhibitions in 1829, 1833, 1839, and 1844. He received the Council Medal at the London exposition in 1851 and the large medal of honor at the Paris Exhibition in 1855. He was eventually elected to the Legion d’Honneur by the French Government.
• Market Value: His fine instruments have increased in value four-fold since their original sale prices.
• Historical Significance: His purchase of Luigi Tarisio's collection, including the 1716 Stradivari 'Messie' violin, sealed his place in the history of lutherie and made him the most important dealer in Europe.

Further Information

• Workshop Locations: Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume's workshops were located at 30 rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs (1825), 46 rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs (1828), rue Pierre Demours Les Ternes (1858), and 3 rue Demours (1860).
• Labeling and Branding: All instruments were signed and numbered internally. Early instruments featured a small Vuillaume brand on the outside of the ribs. Manuscript labels include "J. B. Vuillaume No. 4 / Chez N. A. Lété / rue Pavée Saint Sauveur No. 20 / à Paris 1823" and "J. B. Vuillaume No. 21 / Rue Croix des petits Champs No. 30 / Paris 1825." Printed labels include "J. B. Vuillaume, no.76 / Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, à Paris an 1827," "JBV Jean Baptiste Vuillaume à Paris / Rue Croix des Petits Champs JBV," and "Jean Baptiste Vuillaume à Paris / 3 rue Demours-Ternes JBV." Bows were branded "VUILLAUME A PARIS."