Francois (I) Lupot

History

Francois (I) Lupot (1725-1804) was born in Plombières, Vosges, and died in Paris, France. He was the son and pupil of Laurent Lupot. According to John Dilworth, he was active in Lunéville from approximately 1746 to 1754. Cecie Stainer notes his activity with his father in Lunéville from 1751 to 1756. He was appointed violin maker to the Duke of Württemberg in Stuttgart, where he worked from 1754 to 1768, though Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states he came to Stuttgart around 1758 and remained until about 1770. Cecie Stainer also confirms his residence and work in Stuttgart for ten years, from 1758 to 1768. He married in 1754 at the age of 18. From 1769, he established himself in Orleans, with an advertisement in the Orleans newspaper on May 19, 1769, announcing his establishment on rue Royale. Lütgendorff and Stainer mention his residence on rue St. Cathérine or rue Sainte-Catherine in Orleans. He moved to Paris in 1794 with his son Nicolas, where he remained until his death in 1804.

Craft

• Construction: Instruments produced by Francois (I) Lupot featured a low arch and a large, broad pattern.
• Varnish: The varnish was generally described as poor quality, dark brown, or ochre coloured.
• Branding: His instruments were typically branded on the back button.
• Output: He made pedal harps, luths, archi-luths, and bows "à la Coly" (or Lolli).
• Workmanship: His work demonstrated great ability and was considered superior to that of Laurent and Jean Lupot, establishing him as one of the best French makers of his time. George Hart noted that his workmanship and style were similar to other makers of his period, such as Chappuy.
• Design: He worked after the models of Stradivari. The scroll on his instruments was often described as rather rough.

Influence

• Mentorship: Francois (I) Lupot was the son and pupil of Laurent Lupot.
• Family: His two sons, Nicolas and François, both became makers.
• Misconceptions: While a legend suggested he was a pupil of Giuseppe Guarneri, Willibald Leo Lütgendorff explicitly refutes this, stating that Lupot was demonstrably never in Italy and only worked after Stradivari.

Legacy

• Recognition: A splendid violin made by him in Orleans in 1772 is preserved in the Museum of the Paris Conservatorium (or Paris Conservatoire Collection).
• Documentation: A document signed by Jomelli, Director of Music to the Duke of Württemberg, attests to Francois (I) Lupot's satisfactory fulfillment of his duties for ten consecutive years until his departure on June 16, 1768.
• Historical Context: Although he was considered one of the better violin makers of his era, his fame was largely overshadowed by that of his renowned son, Nicolas Lupot.

Further Information

• Locations: He worked in Plombières, Lunéville, Stuttgart, Orleans (on rue Royale and rue Sainte-Catherine), and Paris.
• Labels: Examples of his labels include a curiously-spelt one: "François Lupot, luttier de la coure de Wirtenbergt a Stoutgard, 1765," and "Francisco Lupot fecit in Orleans, anno 177—."

Summary

Francois (I) Lupot (1725-1804) was a significant French violin maker, son and pupil of Laurent Lupot. He worked in Lunéville before serving as violin maker to the Duke of Württemberg in Stuttgart from 1754 to 1768. He later established himself in Orleans around 1769, where he made various stringed instruments and bows, before moving to Paris in 1794. Known for his low-arched instruments with a broad pattern and dark varnish, his work was considered of great ability, though his fame was later eclipsed by his son Nicolas. A violin he made in 1772 is held in the Paris Conservatorium.