Marcin (I) Groblicz
Biographies
John Dilworth
GROBLICZ, Marcin (I) Born circa. 1540, d. after 1609 Krakow Poland. Founder of a long and prolific dynasty of Polish violin makers known as the Krakow school which seems to have disseminated pupils throughout the region, although very little of their work has survived. Characterised as having long and open ‘c’ bouts, short corners, high arch, and long low-set soundholes with narrow wings. Widespread use of bird’s-eye figured maple imported through the Baltic ports. Varnish is very thin and pale. Most striking is the carved lion or dragon’s head which replaces the scroll: face is turned upward, and there is virtually no ‘throat’, in comparison to Tyrolean work in which the lion’s face is directed along the fingerboard. Marcin (I) was also the author of a ‘clamshell’ violin, the distinguishing feature of this being the lack of ribs: the carved plates, with indented upper bouts, are glued directly together. Evidence of other such instruments are found in Northern European iconography of the 16th and early 17th century. Groblicz example was destroyed in the late 19th century, but a modern reproduction is held in the Poznan museum. A viol converted to cello is in the same museum. A viol preserved in the Kracow museum is labelled: Na chwale Boza ukonczyl / Martin Groblicz roku panskiego 1602 (Reverential to God, consummated by Marcin Groblicz in the year of our Lord, 1602) [Jaskulski]
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