Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume

The Vuillaume Dynasty

The oldest known relative of Jean-Baptiste is the miller Jean Vuillaume. He lived from 1647 to 1707 in Bassompierre, about twenty-five kilometers from Mirecourt. One of his sons, Charles François, married Barbe Arnould. She was from Mirecourt, where they would settle after their marriage. This was a choice with unintended but far-reaching consequences for subsequent generations of the Vuillaume family. Mirecourt, which at the time lay at the crossroads of major trade routes, would eventually become the center of French violin making, where virtually all the great French makers would either come from or learn their craft. Like his parents, Charles François had eleven children. Of the four boys, three died; only Claude François Vuillaume survived. He was the first in the Vuillaume dynasty to call himself a violin maker. His son Charles François and his grandson Claude François succeeded him in the trade. The latter was the father of Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume.

In 1795, Jean-Baptiste’s father married Anne Leclerc. Anne was a lace maker, and her father managed the gardens of the “Domaine de Ravenel,” which was located east of Mirecourt.

Their seven children were born during the turbulent and at times bloody years of the French Revolution. Only five of them survived, and four of the boys would go on to become violin makers. Jean-Baptiste was the eldest. He was born in 1798, his brother Nicolas in 1800, Nicolas François in 1802, and finally Claude François in 1807. Not spared by fate, the children lost their mother when the youngest was eight. Jean-Baptiste would later write that there was hardly any variety in the days of his youth; he recalled only helping his father with the family’s grape harvest as a child, and it was only when his father taught him the basics of violin making that he came to life. After completing his apprenticeship, he continued to work with his father until 1818.

Paris: Chanot, Lété, and Nicolas François Vuillaume

That year, François Chanot, also from Mirecourt, returned from the war—severely wounded but full of plans. Chanot was brilliant; he had graduated from the École Polytechnique at a young age and had devised a violin that he was certain would produce a better sound than any violin known at the time. He asked his brother George—who was friends with Jean-Baptiste—and Jean-Baptiste himself to help him produce this invention. George went straight to Paris with him, and Jean-Baptiste followed later that year. The project failed, but Jean-Baptiste remained in the French capital.

Meanwhile, Jean-Baptiste also worked for Nicolas Antoine Lété, for whom he built violins. Lété had a factory in Mirecourt where he indulged his passion for organs, and a shop in Paris selling affordable instruments and accessories. He had little interest in violins. However, several skilled violin makers did work for him. When Lété sent instruments to the competition in Paris in 1819 and 1823, two violins were awarded silver medals. One was by François Chanot; the other was built by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume. As a result of this success, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume became Lété’s partner. From that point on, the firm was known as “Lété et Vuillaume.”

As early as 1822, while still working for Chanot, Jean-Baptiste had begun labeling his instruments with his own brand name. He simply continued this practice at Lété. Initially, Jean-Baptiste was assisted by his brother Nicolas François, but the partnership between Lété and Vuillaume was not long-lasting; the partnership was dissolved in 1827, though he did continue to work with Nicolas François.

Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, home studio

Meanwhile, Jean-Baptiste had met his wife, Adèle Guesnet, in Paris. Adèle was the eldest daughter of Jean Guesnet, a businessman and mayor of Clermont; she was devoted, intelligent, and very wealthy. He married her in 1826. Together they bought a house with a workshop on Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs in Paris. It was a large property in a lively neighborhood, with renowned violin makers and bow makers as neighbors. Their workshop flourished amid the dozens of Parisian violin-making workshops and stringed instrument dealers. His brother Nicolas François moved in with them.

During and immediately after the French Revolution, the new rulers had assigned music an important social role; many new compositions were written, and concerts were attended by huge crowds. As a result, the music scene in Paris flourished tremendously. It is not surprising that the demand for new instruments also increased so much that all these workshops were able to remain in business or even expand. During those years, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume and his brother built about thirty instruments a year together. They modeled their work after the Cremonese masters, and Jean-Baptiste personally traveled abroad to select wood in order to craft the finest instruments from it.

“The violin maker whose work ranks among the very best of French violin makers.”

His success continued in the first year after his marriage as well: he won a silver medal for several violins he had submitted to the Concours National in Paris, and at another major instrument exhibition, the cellist and composer Jean-Marie Raoul referred to Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume “the violin maker whose work ranks among the very best of French violin makers.” Jean-Marie Raoul was a well-known musician, and his praise reached many musicians. Vuillaume had replicated a magnificent 16th-century instrument made by Tieffenbrücker for him and—not insignificantly—improved upon it.

Jean-Baptiste’s success prompted his brother Nicolas François to start his own workshop. In 1828, he left for Brussels. For Jean-Baptiste, this was a real loss; their collaboration had been productive for both of them. To replace him, he sought out several young, promising violin makers in Mirecourt. He found them in Charles Buthot, Honoré Derazey, and Hippolyte Silvestre. Nicolas François fared less well. In quick succession, he lost his wife and two of his three children. After their deaths, he returned to Paris, where Jean-Baptiste took him under his wing.

Bows

During that same period, he expanded his workshop to include a section dedicated to making bows. Dominique Peccatte and Jean Pierre Marie Persoit were his first employees. With them, bow production reached the very highest level. Vuillaume had learned from Lété that participating in exhibitions brought him a great deal of attention for his work. He did so again in 1834.

François-Joseph Fétis

This time, it earned him another silver medal and, perhaps even more importantly, a long-lasting friendship with the musicologist François-Joseph Fétis, editor-in-chief of a highly influential music magazine. This friendship would result in an extensive correspondence that researchers and biographers have since drawn upon to shed light on the life and work of Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume.

Rave reviews and high-profile instruments

The reviews of his work were so glowing that a Vuillaume violin was even compared in the press to one by Stradivari. In 1839, he received his first gold medal for this achievement. Partly because of this, his reputation among musicians continued to grow. Three years later, his brother Nicolas François left again. He had had enough of Paris and wanted to return to his hometown of Mirecourt; after a few years, Paris had proved to be too big for him, but above all, too crowded. Jean-Baptiste offered him the opportunity to produce his two simpler instrument lines there in Mirecourt: the “Stentor” and the “St. Cecilia.” From that year on, there was one Vuillaume working in Paris, one in Brussels, and one in Mirecourt. His relationship with Nicolas remained close; for years to come, Jean-Baptiste continued to discuss the developments of his business with him.

Octobas (length 3.48 m!) Musée de la Musique, Paris

Between 1840 and 1850, the firm grew into a business that produced some 150 instruments and 600 bows per year—a level of success that had scarcely been matched in Europe up to that point. In the intervening years, Vuillaume also managed to win two gold medals, build a sensational three-stringed octobass standing 3.48 meters tall, as well as a double bass and a contralto. All three were extraordinary instruments.

His two daughters were married in quick succession; Émilie married one of France’s leading violinists, Delphin Alard, in 1849, and Marie-Claire married a Parisian lawyer, François Mestayer, a year later. Alard conducted research into violinists’ playing techniques and developed a type of bow known as the Alard model. These bows were made by Voirin in one of Vuillaume’s workshops.

It is known that, after working for Vuillaume for fifteen years, Van Voirin had a major falling-out with him over a lack of recognition and the corresponding compensation.

It was presumably the advancing cholera epidemic—which would claim the lives of tens of thousands of people in Paris—that prompted Jean-Baptiste to buy a house outside the city, in Ternes; his fourth. He had purchased his third house in Paris shortly before that. He had the stately home in Ternes renovated and turned it into a workshop. Bow makers such as Voirin lived and worked there with their families. Just as in Paris, a strict regimen prevailed; no one spoke while working. Everywhere, Jean-Baptiste encouraged the creativity of his employees. Sometimes he asked them to come up with new solutions to problems he encountered. He did not always give credit for inventions to those who deserved it, but instead claimed them as his own. It is known that Voirin, after working for Vuillaume for fifteen years and making many inventions for him, had a major falling-out with him over a lack of appreciation and the corresponding compensation. As a result, he and his family were forced to move out of Vuillaume’s house in Ternes. This marked an abrupt end to a fifteen-year friendship.

Awards at exhibitions in England and France

Jean-Baptiste had already built up an impressive network in France, but he went to England to expand his business there as well. After the 1851 London exhibition, in which he successfully participated and even won the coveted Council Medal, he established contact with dealers who began selling his instruments in England. On his return trip to France, he was informed that he had been awarded the Cross of the Legion of Honor.

1855 Paris World's Fair, Palais de l'Industrie

The crowning achievement of the Vuillaume brothers’ work would come the following year. All three received medals for their instruments at the great Paris exhibition of 1855, which had been organized at Napoleon’s behest. All the leading figures in industry, art, and science were present there. By that time, Jean-Baptiste had already amassed a considerable fortune. This enabled him to purchase a collection of 144 Italian master instruments from the collector Luigi Tarisio that same year. With this acquisition, he suddenly owned more Stradivari instruments than any single owner had ever possessed.

A turbulent time

One more time, Vuillaume would face violence that made it difficult for him to do his work. The Paris Commune uprising raged fiercely in 1871. During the “bloody week,” the better-off fled Paris in a panic. The Alard and Vuillaume families were among them. During the turbulent period leading up to this, it had been difficult to build instruments, let alone sell them. In a letter to Fau, he wrote: “It’s a miracle that I wasn’t injured, and as for instruments, I have nothing to sell or buy.”

He would continue to make instruments until his death.

When Jean-Baptiste turned sixty, he stepped down from managing his business for a while. He closed his shops on Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs and retired to Ternes. There he lived in luxury, but continued to build tirelessly. However, he no longer allowed anyone into his workshop. He did, however, continue to attend exhibitions in London and Paris—no longer as an exhibitor, but as an expert. He told everyone that he would continue to make instruments until his death. Ten years after the death of his wife Adèle, he built his last violin in February 1875. It was number 3001. He died a few days later. Both are buried at the Cimetière de Montmartre.

Large and complex estate

His daughter Marie-Claire managed his estate with great dedication. Her commitment was so great that it took her years to settle it. To prevent Jean-Baptiste’s knowledge and materials from falling into the wrong hands, she closed the remaining violin-making workshops immediately after his death. The division where bows were made went to his nephew Sébastien Vuillaume, but he died a few months later. Marie-Claire had not had the opportunity to publish all of Vuillaume’s opus numbers in a clear and organized manner; experts have had to spend years researching this. And even now, not everything has been clarified. Hundreds of numbers are still missing. Some because he did not assign numbers to approximately 110 instruments, others because a number of the instruments have not yet been found, but forgeries have also played a confusing role.

Work and Influence

Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume built his first instruments for his father and a few more at Chanot. Those were probably the first and second instruments he labeled, but they are unnumbered. His first numbered violin is No. 3. He built it at Lété, as he did the next five.

Between 1823 and 1840, he primarily built instruments modeled after those of Italian masters

These instruments were based on or copied from early Parisian masters, such as Lupot, a luthier whose work was similar to his own. When demand for instruments modeled after the old Italian masters increased, he saw a brighter future in crafting instruments based on them. Between 1823 and 1840, he built instruments primarily modeled after these masters. In particular, those by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, Maggini, Antonio Stradivari, and Nicolò Amati. In most instruments from this period, researchers recognize not only the recognizable “source” but also Vuillaume’s very personal touch. This is often referred to as his Neo-Renaissance period.

Under the Spell of Antonio Stradivari

The more closely he studied the work of Antonio Stradivari, the more captivated he became by this master, and he did everything in his power to match the quality of his work. Stradivari’s “Messie” from 1716 was one of his favorite violins. That instrument was part of the Tarisio collection and, after its purchase, also came into his possession. The collection also included several of Stradivari’s molds. These differed from those used by violin makers in the French tradition. Starting in 1855, he regularly made instruments based on this type of mold. He did the same with the “Messie.” He copied this violin at least fifteen times; thirteen numbered and two unnumbered copies are known to exist.

During the last ten years of his career, he continued to refine his own skills and worked exclusively on instruments of “artistic value,” as he himself put it. And he no longer did so on Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs. According to a letter he wrote to his English dealer, anyone who wanted to order a good instrument from him could only do so in Ternes.

Unparalleled in his ability to emulate the great masters

Connoisseurs of his work believe that Jean-Baptiste was unrivaled in his ability to replicate the works of the great masters. Whatever he did, it was accurate down to the last detail. For example, he would never add his own detailing to the purfling of a copied instrument. He went so far as to accurately replicate even the asymmetry in a Stradivari violin; for the purfling, he used one thin and two thicker strips of wood. If he succeeded in making a convincing copy, he would gladly invite experts to distinguish his replica from the original. Not infrequently, they failed. Even Paganini fell for it.

Bird Names and Family Crests

The composition of the traditional Cremonese violin varnish was a well-kept secret that had been the subject of much research, including by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume. It is to his credit that he created a varnish that came very close to the original.

De Riquet Caraman de Chimay Family Coat of Arms Photo: NMF

It was not uncommon for his instruments to be named after those who had commissioned them, such as the Amati-based violin he called the “Laurie,” after his friend David Laurie. He had others adorned with a family coat of arms upon request; a violin and the “octobas” were adorned with the coat of arms of Tsar Nicholas I, a violin with that of the Saint-Hilaire family, a quartet with that of Count Doria, another quartet he made for Prince Caraman de Chimay, and a violin with the coat of arms of the Cheremetoff family. Some instruments were named after birds; twelve different ones are known, including the “Golden Pheasant” and “The Thrush.” Another twelve were named after the apostles or biblical figures, such as “St. Joseph,” “Saint Paul,” and a quartet called “The Four Evangelists.” These names were printed on the top plate between the nut and the tailpiece.

Student violins, built almost like mass-produced items

The “Stentor” and “St. Cecilia” instruments were built in Mirecourt based on a model he had derived from Stradivari and, at times, from Guarneri. The Stentors were student violins that, depending on their quality, were labeled No. 1 or No. 2. That number was inscribed on a small plaque on the back of the scroll. The best ones were finished with a beautiful deep varnish, while the lesser ones received a less attractive, matte brown finish. The St. Cecilia was a higher-quality line than the Stentor. The violins and a single cello from that series featured, beneath the final coat of varnish, a decal of St. Cecilia playing the violin—the patron saint of musicians. These instruments had a better tone and were crafted with slightly greater refinement than the Stentors. The violin makers of both series were given exceptionally little time by Nicolas and Jean-Baptiste to craft them. The Stentors were made almost as if on an assembly line.

Some instruments that came from his workshops bear identical numbers on all their parts. This indicates how these parts were made by different workers and later assembled into a single instrument.

Vuillaume's body of work remains the subject of research

Vuillaume’s body of work was enormous. Determining its exact scope and details required years of study of the four main sources: the instruments themselves, Vuillaume’s personal logbook, the written records from the workshops, and external documents. Researchers estimated the total at approximately 3,000 instruments, including the Stentors and the St. Cecilias. One-third of these are still the subject of study. Vuillaume did strive for a consistent administrative approach, but he did not succeed. This was sometimes due to the turmoil of the Revolution or the threat of cholera, sometimes to administrative errors in his ever-expanding business, or simply because it was not a priority; many mistakes were made. From the multitude of sometimes contradictory data, it was possible to reconstruct his work in general terms and, in some areas, even with great precision, but the compilation of a comprehensive overview is still ongoing.

Of the approximately 3,000 instruments bearing his name, he personally built about 425. It is no longer possible to determine the number of bows his employees made, nor the number of bows he made himself.

Source: Tarisio

Until 1825, he wrote his labels by hand. After that, he used three labels in different print variations: No. 30, rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs (from 1825), and 3 Rue Demours-Ternes (from 1828). Instruments made by his students did receive a label, but he did not design them.

Throughout his life, Vuillaume tirelessly sought the ideal sound and the best possible instruments to produce it. The countless medals he received for his work indicate just how close he came to the perfection he pursued.

Employees

Over the course of his life, Jean-Baptiste had about fifty students and collaborators. The most important among them were: Paul Bailly, Telesphore Barbé, Paul Blanchard, Charles and Nicolas Buthot, Auguste Darte, Alexandre Delanoye, Honoré Dezarey, Georg Gemunder, Joseph Germain, George Lotte, Charles Maucotel, Maurice Mermillot, Ludwig Neuner, Pierre Pacherel, Hippolyte Silvestre, Charles Simonin, Nicolas Vuillaume, Nicolas François, and Sébastien Vuillaume.

Sources

Jacquot, A., 1912, La Lutherie Lorraine et Française, Paris.

Henley W., 1959 Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers. Amati Publications. London.

Millant, R., 1979, J-B Vuillaume: His Life and Work. Hill & Sons, London.

König A.H., 1982, Old Master Violins: Descriptions and Appraisals, Swiss Association of Master Violin Makers, Frankfurt.

Cité de la Musique/Musée de la Musique, Violins, Vuillaume, a 19th-Century French Master Luthier, 1998, Paris.

Vannes, R., 1999, Universal Dictionary of Instrument Makers, Spa.

Carlson B., Schmitt J. F., Moroder I., Leonhard F., 2007, Italian & French Violin Makers, Keulen.

Thöne J, 2008, Italian & French Violin Makers, Dubai.

Tarisio; the Cozio archives, accessed in 2019.

Geneanet, accessed in 2019.

Archives Nationales de France, geraadpleegd in 2019.