Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume

History

Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875) was born on October 7, 1798, in Mirecourt, France, the second son of Claude François (IV) Vuillaume. According to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff in "Die Geigen- und Lautenmacher vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart," the Vuillaume family owes its fame to him. He apprenticed with his father in Mirecourt until 1818. In 1818, he was commissioned by François Chanot to construct his radical cornerless violin designs in Paris. In 1819, he arrived in Paris and worked for Chanot for two years; Lütgendorff notes that his interaction with Chanot, a highly educated and witty man, had a "fertilizing effect on the aspiring artist."

In 1821, he began working exclusively for N. A. Lété in Paris, whose business also encompassed an organ factory (Stainer). Lété, as the son-in-law of Pique, also operated a violin trade (Lütgendorff). Vuillaume's own label first appeared in 1823. In 1825, he established a workshop at 30 rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, in partnership with Lété, as Lété & Vuillaume. In 1828, he parted from Lété and opened his own firm at 46 rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs. He married Adele Guesnet from Clermont (Stainer), described by Lütgendorff as a well-educated woman who deeply understood his work.

Vuillaume moved his workshops to rue Pierre Demours Les Ternes in 1858 (Dilworth), though Stainer and Lütgendorff state this move occurred in 1860 to 3 rue Demours. He made the acquaintance of Paganini in 1836. In 1855, Vuillaume acquired the entire collection of Luigi Tarisio, an eccentric Italian collector, which included the 1716 Stradivari ‘Messie’ violin and other significant Cremonese instruments. This purchase solidified his position as the most important dealer in Europe (Dilworth).

Vuillaume was awarded numerous medals at Paris in 1829, 1833, 1839, and 1844 (Dilworth). Stainer adds silver medals in 1827 and 1834. He received the "Council" medal at the London exposition in 1851 and the medal of honour at the Paris Exhibition in 1855 (Stainer). He was eventually awarded the Légion d'honneur by the French Government (Dilworth). Over 3000 instruments bearing his name are recorded (Dilworth, Poidras, Stainer, Lütgendorff). He died on February 19, 1875, in Paris.

Craft

• Innovation: Vuillaume perfected a new approach to making exact copies of classical instruments, cleverly imitating varnish wear and patina. He also developed string-making facilities and various ingenious fixtures and fittings (Dilworth). He is celebrated for ambitious ventures such as the gigantic Octo-Bass, which he invented around 1850/1851 (Poidras, Stainer, Lütgendorff). In 1855, he invented the Contralto, and in 1867, the pedal-sourdine, a chin-mute (Stainer). In bow making, he made innovations including hollow steel bows (c.1834-1850) and the self-hairing bow, patented in 1835. He also introduced the frog with rounded edges and the ‘portrait-eye’ (a miniature photograph of Vuillaume beneath a lens inlaid in the frog's eye) around 1845 (Dilworth). He also invented the fixed nut for bows (Stainer).
• Materials: He meticulously sourced his wood from Switzerland and the Tyrol, often traveling extensively, rummaging through old churches and junk shops for usable old timber, regardless of price (Lütgendorff). He meticulously studied Stradivari varnish, resulting in beautiful varnish, especially after 1859 (Stainer). He devoted meticulous care to varnishing throughout his life, and Lütgendorff considers him the only 19th-century violin maker to match the old Italians in varnish appearance, though he kept his method secret.
• Methods: Vuillaume managed his workshop carefully, employing some of France's most skillful craftsmen (Dilworth). Early works were fully varnished in dark red with ebony purfling. His mature period, dating from around 1827, saw him begin characteristic reproductions of classical Cremonese and Brescian works, notably Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesù, with artificially worn varnish. These works exhibit faultless craftsmanship, accurate observation, and remarkable varnish effects. Some important instruments, like the ‘Evangelist quartet,’ were made with a fully applied varnish and a perfect "new" appearance. Other special commissions featured painted armorials. All instruments were signed and numbered internally (Dilworth). According to Lütgendorff, the violins he had his workmen make bore his label. He studied and accurately determined the proportions of bows made by Tourte (Stainer).

Influence

• Training and Mentorship: He was the son and pupil of Claude Vuillaume (Poidras, Lütgendorff) and worked for François Chanot for two years in Paris (Stainer). He worked for N. A. Lété exclusively from 1821 (Dilworth). His workshop employed many notable craftsmen, including his brother Nicolas-François, H. Silvestre, H. Derazey, C. Buthod, C. Simonin, C. A. Maucotel, G. Gemunder, J. L. Germain, M. Mermillot (Dilworth), and T. Barbé (Poidras). For bow making, he employed numerous archetiers 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 (Dilworth). D. Peccatte, P. Simon, and F. N. Voirin became highly important and influential archetiers in the French tradition, while German craftsmen established a high-quality bow-making tradition in German centers (Dilworth).
• Schools/Tradition: He is considered one of the masters of whom the French School is proud, on par with makers like Lupot, Gand père, Pique, and Aldric (Poidras). His work with bow makers contributed significantly to the French bow-making tradition and established a high-quality German bow-making tradition (Dilworth).
• Notable Associations: He worked for François Chanot in Paris (Dilworth, Stainer, Lütgendorff). He established a professional relationship with N. A. Lété, working for him exclusively and later partnering with him (Dilworth, Poidras, Stainer, Lütgendorff). He made the acquaintance of Paganini in 1836 (Dilworth). He purchased the entire collection of the eccentric Italian collector Luigi Tarisio in 1855 (Dilworth). He collaborated with the acoustician Savart on theoretical approaches and varnish research (Dilworth), with Savart's investigations reportedly being impossible without Vuillaume's help (Lütgendorff). He also collaborated with the writer François Fètis, to whose seminal work "Antoine Stradivari, luthier célèbre" Vuillaume contributed material (Dilworth). He supplied Fètis with all the material for his work on Antonio Stradivari (Stainer). He was married to Adele Guesnet (Stainer, Lütgendorff).

Legacy

• Museum Collections: Vuillaume’s copy of Paganini’s Guarneri del Gesù ‘Cannone’ violin of 1743 remains beside the original in the Genoa Civic Museum. His gigantic Octo-Bass is preserved in the Musée de la Musique, Paris (Dilworth). Both an Octo-Bass and a Contralto are to be seen in the Paris Conservatoire Collection (Stainer).
• Modern Recognition: He was awarded the Légion d'honneur by the French Government (Dilworth). He is widely considered the most successful French luthier, entrepreneur, inventor, and connoisseur (Dilworth).

Further Information

• Technical Characteristics: His earliest known works feature dark red varnish with ebony purfling. His mature period, from around 1827, is marked by reproductions of classical Cremonese and Brescian instruments, notably Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesù, which incorporate artificially worn varnish. He also produced significant instruments with fully applied "new" varnish, such as the "Evangelist quartet," each marked with a biblical evangelist's name on the table. Other special commissions had painted armorials. Instruments were signed and numbered internally; early instruments had a small Vuillaume brand on the outside of the ribs. He also marketed cheaper student-grade instruments under the St. Cecile trademark, made in Mirecourt by his brother Nicolas-François (Dilworth). His bows were branded: VUILLAUME A PARIS. Manuscript labels include: J. B. Vuillaume No. 4 / Chez N. A. Lété / rue Pavée Saint Sauveur No. 20 / à Paris 1823; 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 Jean Baptiste Vuillaume à Paris / 3 rue Demours-Ternes JBV [Millant] (Dilworth). Stainer also mentions labels such as "Jean Baptiste Vuillaume a Paris, rue Croix-des-petits-Champs"; "J. B. Vuillaume, no. 21, rue Croix-des-petits-Champs. No. 30, Paris, 1829"; and "Jean Baptiste Vuillaume a Paris, 3 rue Demours-Ternes, 1844."
• Historical Uncertainties: Henri Poidras notes that while Vuillaume's imitations of Stradivari and Guarneri belong to the category of "heated or tinted" instruments, which can be disastrous for sound properties, this may have been exaggerated, and such instruments may constitute only a small proportion of his large production. Poidras also observes that the tone of his instruments is "not always satisfactory and lacks homogeneity." Lütgendorff suggests that through his unsurpassed mastery in imitation, "many 'Stradivari' of sworn authenticity are likely to be Vuillaume's works," and that "almost all Duiffopruggar violins shown today were made by him."
• Notable Quotes: Hector Berlioz, in his "Traité d'Instrumentation" [Treatise on Instrumentation], spoke favorably of the Octo-Bass, stating: "This fine and strong individuality, gifted with remarkably powerful and beautiful sounds, would produce an admirable effect in an orchestra."

Summary

Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875) was a highly influential and prolific French luthier, entrepreneur, and connoisseur. Recognized as one of the most successful figures in French lutherie, he was known for his meticulously managed workshop, which produced over 3,000 instruments. He gained renown for his masterful copies of classical Italian instruments, such as those by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesù, skillfully replicating their appearance and patina. His career was marked by significant achievements, including the acquisition of Luigi Tarisio's extensive collection, which featured the 'Messie' Stradivari. Vuillaume was also a notable innovator, developing instruments like the Octo-Bass and Contralto, and contributing significantly to bow making with inventions such as hollow steel bows and the 'portrait-eye' frog. His workshop served as a training ground for many prominent craftsmen, influencing both French and German traditions of instrument and bow making. Vuillaume's instruments, including his copy of Paganini’s 'Cannone,' are held in major museum collections, and he received numerous awards, including the Légion d'honneur, solidifying his enduring legacy in the world of stringed instruments.