Francois Chanot

History

Francois Chanot (1787-1828), born in Mirecourt, was the son of a musical instrument maker. Sources contain conflicting information regarding his birth year, with John Dilworth stating 1788 and Cecie Stainer stating 1787. Similarly, his death year is cited as 1825 by Dilworth and 1828 by Stainer, both occurring in Rochefort, France. A gifted mathematician and scientist, Chanot attended the Ecole polytechnique and subsequently entered the French navy as an engineer. During an absence from the navy between 1816 and 1818, caused by an injury, he returned to Mirecourt and began to apply scientific principles to violin construction. He submitted a violin of his new design to the Académie des Beaux-Arts and the Académie des Sciences in 1817, which, after three trials, was favorably judged for its superior tonal quality. He was awarded a silver medal in 1819. In 1824, he was recalled to active service and was soon promoted to the higher grade of an engineer of the first class.

Craft

• Design Philosophy: Francois Chanot's violin making activities were subservient to his career as a naval engineer, but he sought to construct violins on more scientific principles.
• Innovation: He designed a simplified and acoustically improved form of cornerless violin. His models were only slightly arched, featured sound-holes that were nearly straight, and had sides less curved, resembling those of a guitar. The underlying idea was to keep the wood-fibres as long as possible, believing this would enhance vibration.
• Manufacture: Although Chanot designed these instruments, their manufacture was passed to the company of Lété in Mirecourt. J. B. Vuillaume was hired to assist with this work.
• Notable Instruments: A violin made by Chanot in 1818 for Viotti and a violoncello are preserved in the Paris Conservatoire collection.

Influence

• Training: Francois Chanot trained with his father, Joseph, in Mirecourt.
• Education: His background included studies at the Ecole polytechnique, which informed his scientific approach to instrument design.

Legacy

• Recognition: Chanot was awarded a silver medal in 1819 for his innovative violin design.
• Museum Collections: A violin he made in 1818 for Viotti and a violoncello are part of the Paris Conservatoire collection.
• Enduring Quality: Despite initial favorable judgments, Cecie Stainer notes that violins on his model are now of poor quality, and their tone, though excellent when first made, does not last. John Dilworth similarly states that the Francois Chanot violin, while probably the best thought-out of many alternative patent designs, has not stood the test of time.

Further Information

• Label Inscription: An example of his label reads: "Chanot 1818 / rue St Honoré, Passage des Maures / Paris C.I.D. No. 268".
• C.I.D. Meaning: The letters C.I.D. on his label are the initials of his title, "Capitaine, Ingenieur, Deuxieme classe".
• Label Poem: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes a label with the verses: "À mes essais daigne sourire! / Fais résonner ce nouveau violon: / Et l'on dira que d'Apollon / J'ai retrouvé l'armonieuse lyre."

Summary

Francois Chanot (1787-1828) was a French naval engineer and scientist who applied his mathematical and scientific acumen to violin design. Trained by his father Joseph in Mirecourt, he developed a unique cornerless violin with a simplified, less arched form and straighter sound-holes, aiming to improve acoustics by preserving wood-fibre length. His innovative design, which was manufactured by Lété with assistance from J. B. Vuillaume, earned him a silver medal in 1819 after favorable judgment by the Académie des Sciences and Académie des Beaux-Arts. Although initially praised, his instruments are now generally considered to have poor tonal longevity, and the design has not endured over time.