Andrea Castagneri

History

Andrea Castagneri (circa 1730-1762) was an Italian violin maker who settled and worked in Paris, France.

According to Cecie Stainer, he worked in Paris from 1732 to 1757 at the Hôtel de Soissons, which was destroyed between 1748 and 1749.

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states that he was the son and pupil of Gian Paolo C., whom he surpassed, and resided in an annex of the Hôtel de Soissons until 1744, like his father.

After 1744, he moved to the Rue des Prouvaires, subsequently signing his name as Castagnery.

Craft

• Workmanship: His work is described by John Dilworth as very fine and original, belonging to the 'vieux Paris' school, with careful execution according to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff.
• Model: His instruments are based on an elegant narrow Amati form with a somewhat pinched arch and slender corners, and his model belongs to the Stradivari-school.
• Varnish: The varnish varies greatly in color, from yellow-brown to a pale red, and is of good quality. John Dilworth notes a fine rich golden-yellow varnish, while Willibald Leo Lütgendorff describes it as usually somewhat dry and reddish-brown.
• Purfling: Beech purfling is almost invariably used.
• Tone: His instruments possess a fine tone and are appealing.
• F-holes: His F-holes are noted by Willibald Leo Lütgendorff as being too large and too wide open.
• Unsuccessful Attempts: His attempts to build violins with very flat tops are described as unsuccessful by Willibald Leo Lütgendorff.
• Instrument Types: He made good violins, altos, and basses, and his rare cellos are of small form and are particularly noteworthy.

Influence

• Mentorship: Andrea Castagneri was the son and pupil of Gian Paolo C.
• School: His model belongs to the Stradivari-school.

Legacy

• Reputation: His violins almost always retain an Italian appearance and are valued.
• Preservation: A violin made by him is preserved in the Snoeck collection, which is now located in Berlin.

Further Information

• Labels: Examples of his labels include "Andrea Castagneri nel palazzo di Soessone, Parigi, 1740", "Andrea Castagneri nell' / Pallazzo di Soissone Pariggi 1745", and "Castagnery, rue des Prouvaires / Parigi, 1747".
• Dated Instruments: Instruments by Castagneri include violins dated 1732, 1735, 1739, 1740, 1744, 1745, 1747, and 1757, an alto dated 1741, and a bass dated 1751.

Summary

Andrea Castagneri (circa 1730-1762) was an Italian violin maker who worked in Paris, France, known for his fine and original instruments based on an elegant Amati form with Stradivari-school influences.

He was the son and pupil of Gian Paolo C. and worked at the Hôtel de Soissons before moving to the Rue des Prouvaires.

His instruments feature varied varnish, almost invariably beech purfling, and are valued for their fine tone, despite some design quirks like oversized F-holes and unsuccessful flat-top violin experiments.