Pietro (I) Guarneri

History

Pietro (I) Guarneri (1655-1720) was born on February 18, 1655, in Cremona, Italy, and was the elder son and pupil of Andrea Guarneri. He was active and identifiable in the instruments of the Guarneri workshop from about 1670. Pietro (I) Guarneri left Cremona sometime after 1677, or according to other sources, remained until 1680. By 1683, he had settled in Mantua, where he worked both as a luthier and a musician in the ducal court. In 1677, he married Caterina Sussagni, and they had one son, Andrea Francesco, born on January 29, 1678, who did not become a violin maker. He visited Cremona for a few months in 1698, likely prompted by his father's terminal illness, and during this period, he worked for his brother Giuseppe. He then returned to Mantua and is believed to have lived there from 1700 to 1740. Sources contain conflicting information about his death date, with John Dilworth stating he died in 1720 in Mantua, while Cecie Stainer suggests he died around 1740. The notion that he eventually settled in Venice and fell into poverty is likely a confusion with his nephew, Pietro (II) Guarneri.

Craft

• Style: His work developed a unique and very disciplined style, often influenced by Stainer in the very high archings.
• Soundholes: He crafted elegant, narrow soundholes finished with large eyes at each terminus.
• Scroll: The scroll is described as relatively heavy compared to the general delicacy of the rest of the work, featuring a large eye and strong chamfer. Other accounts describe it as very characteristic, broad, and possessing an original character.
• Varnish: Pietro's varnish is considered particularly fine, even among his peers. John Dilworth describes it as deep red-brown, even, well-applied, virtually without textural flaws, and laid over a finely reflective golden ground. Cecie Stainer notes it as transparent, of beautiful rich quality, in either warm yellow or pale red. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff mentions excellent pale red or brown-yellow lacquer. Sources contain conflicting information regarding the transparency and application quality of his varnish.
• Originality: His instruments differ significantly from those of his father and brother, showcasing great originality.
• Violins: His violins are typically on a large pattern and are very arched. He used good wood, with the bellies often having a wide and very even grain. The breadth between the sound-holes is increased, and the corners are delicately worked.
• Purfling: The purfling is described as excellent.
• Tone: The tone of his violins is full but, according to Cecie Stainer, lacks brilliancy. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that while the tone is noble, it is often not very loud, possibly due to the arching being a little too high at the broad breast.
• Violoncellos: The violoncellos he made in Mantua were often of exaggerated form, intended for use in processions where performers would suspend them around their necks.
• Experimental Forms: He made attempts to find new forms, exemplified by a surviving viola from 1698 that lacks corners.
• F-holes & C-bouts: The F-holes are broad and round, positioned midway between the styles of Amati and Stradivari, while the C-bouts are more reminiscent of Nicolo Amati.
• Workmanship: His work is sometimes described as baroque and not always very precise.
• Defects: Cecie Stainer notes some serious defects, including making the backs and bellies of his violins too thin. This resulted in a veiled and dull tone, excessive flexibility, difficulty in maintaining pitch, and a propensity for strings to break.

Influence

• Mentorship: He was the pupil of his father, Andrea Guarneri. Sources contain conflicting information about whether he was also a pupil of Girolamo Amati; Cecie Stainer suggests this, but Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states he likely learned from his father.
• Stylistic Influence: His work was apparently influenced by Stainer, particularly in the often very high archings of his instruments.
• Mantuan School: Pietro (I) Guarneri was important in founding the small but significant Mantuan school of violin making.
• Influence on Others: He very strongly influenced two of the Mantuan school's most highly regarded makers, Camillo Camilli and Tomasso Balestrieri.

Legacy

• Craftsmanship Recognition: Most consider him to have been the best craftsman of the Guarneri family.
• Instrument Value: His instruments are highly valued.
• Founding a School: He played a crucial role in establishing the Mantuan school of violin making.

Further Information

• Labels: For instruments made before he left Cremona, Pietro (I) Guarneri used the labels of his father and brother, as noted by Cecie Stainer.
• Known Inscriptions: Specific labels include:
  • "Petrus Guarnerius Cremonensis filius Andreae / fecit Mantuae sub tit. Sanctae Teresiae 1685" (John Dilworth).
  • "Petrus Guarnerius Cremonensis fecit Mantuai sub. tit. Sanctae Teresiae, 1695" (with similar ones dated 1690 and 1710) (Cecie Stainer).
  • "Revisto e corretto da me Pietro Guarneri Cremonese in Mantova, 1697" (Cecie Stainer).
• Notable Instruments: Lütgendorff mentions an Alt-Viola from 1698, which was notable for lacking corners, a design later independently adopted by Chanot. A violin dated from Venice by Pietro (I) Guarneri was seen by the violin maker Methfessel in Vienna.

Summary

Pietro (I) Guarneri, born in Cremona in 1655, was the elder son and pupil of Andrea Guarneri. After an initial period in his father's workshop, he established himself in Mantua by 1683, where he developed a unique and disciplined style. His instruments are characterized by often high archings, elegant narrow soundholes, and a distinctive, heavy scroll. Renowned for his particularly fine, deep red-brown varnish, he is considered by many to be the best craftsman of the Guarneri family. Pietro (I) Guarneri played a pivotal role in founding the Mantuan school of violin making, significantly influencing later makers such as Camillo Camilli and Tomasso Balestrieri. Despite some structural choices, such as thin wood, that could affect tone, his instruments are highly valued for their originality and exceptional craftsmanship.