Giuseppe Ceruti

History

Giuseppe Antonio Ceruti (1785-1860) was born in 1785 in Sesto Cremonese, Italy, and died in 1860 in Mantua, Italy. Sources contain conflicting information about his birth year, with Cecie Stainer stating he was born about 1787. He was the son, pupil, and assistant of Giovanni Battista Ceruti. Giuseppe Ceruti worked in a similar style to his father, though less productively and with a slightly more refined finish, with his own label appearing only after Giovanni Battista's death in 1817. He left Cremona for San Benedetto Po, Mantua, around 1850, settling permanently in Mantua itself in 1856. Here, he became the teacher of G. Antoniazzi. According to John Dilworth, two violins were submitted to the Paris Exhibition in 1855, where he received an Honourable Mention. George Hart notes that he was a maker and restorer of instruments, exhibiting violins of good quality at Paris and other exhibitions. Cecie Stainer also mentions he occupied himself with repairing old violins.

Craft

• Workmanship: Instruments produced by Giuseppe Ceruti are rare, exhibiting fine modelling.
• Varnish: His instruments feature yellow or deep red-brown varnish.
• Neck Construction: He retained the traditional Cremonese neck, which was nailed rather than morticed to the upper block.
• Scrolls: The scrolls are finely concentric with a light chamfer.

Influence

• Mentorship: Giuseppe Ceruti was the son, pupil, and assistant of Giovanni Battista Ceruti.
• Teaching: He became the teacher of G. Antoniazzi in Mantua.

Legacy

• Recognition: Giuseppe Ceruti received an Honourable Mention at the Paris Exhibition in 1855 for two violins he submitted.
• Reputation: According to Cecie Stainer, he did not achieve the same reputation as his father, Giovanni Battista Ceruti.

Further Information

• Labels: Examples of his labels include "Joseph Ceruti filius Joannis Baptistae / Cremonensis fecit anno 18..", "Josephus Cerutti filius Joannis Baptistae / Cremonensis fecit anno 18..", "Giuseppe Ceruti / fece in Cremona 18..", and "Giuseppe Ceruti / Mantova 1856".

Summary

Giuseppe Ceruti was an Italian violin maker born in Sesto Cremonese in 1785, who died in Mantua in 1860. The son and pupil of Giovanni Battista Ceruti, he continued the family tradition, working in a similar style but with a more refined finish. He moved to Mantua in 1856, where he taught G. Antoniazzi. His instruments, characterized by yellow or deep red-brown varnish and traditional Cremonese neck construction, are rare. He received an Honourable Mention at the Paris Exhibition in 1855 and was also known as a restorer of old violins.