Scan 64
Cremona: an account of the Italian violin-makers and their instruments, 1894
14 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 42. See the scan on archive.org.
1but it is possible that he was a member of a religious order. The Italian craftsmen of that time were wont to combine, for social as well as for business purposes, and to give their association a religious title. For the dates of his birth and death we have to thank the researches of Vuillaume. The extract from the church register proves that Joseph Anthony Guarnerius, legitimate son of Johan Bapt. Guarnerius and Angela Maria Locadella, was born on the 8th of June, 1683, and was baptized on the 11th of the same month in the parish of San Donato, in the chapel of the cathedral. (e)
3The original of this extract runs as follows:—"Guarneri (Giuseppe Antonio) figlio de' legittimi coniugi Giovanni Battista Guarneri ed Angela Locadella nacque nella parrocchia di San Donato aggregata alla Cattedrale il giorno 8 Giugno 1683 e batezzato il giorno 11 del detto mese. Libro dei nati dal 1669 al 1692. G. dalla Cattedrale di Cremona, li 19 Settembre 1855. (Signé) Fusetti Giulio Vic." (f)
5The father of Guarnerius does not appear to have followed the business of violin-making.
7A general belief exists that Joseph Guarnerius was a pupil of Stradivarius, but strict proof of this has never been brought forward. By a comparison, however, of the instruments of the two makers, the point is established that they had really nothing in common.
9If Joseph Guarnerius received his first instruction from Stradivarius, his instruments would show in some respects some resemblance; but no, not in one single point are they
11(e) The date of his birth was the 16th of October, 1687, (see De Piccolellis). He was the second son of Gian Battista, who was the son of Bernardo, the younger brother of Andrea Guarnieri. Gian Battista had four sons (and two daughters), of whom the famous Joseph only was a violin-maker. No entry in the annals of Cremona after 1702 concerning Joseph Guarnieri del Gesù has been found.
13(f) This extract is taken from Fétis, and refers to the eldest son of Gian Battista, who died in the same year. The real extract has been found by the later researches of De Piccolellis to be "Anno 168 sesto Die decima septima Octobris, Joseph filius D. Joannis Baptistae de Guarneris et Maria de Locadellis Jugl'm Baptizatus fuit p. me Joan Baptistam Barozium Praepositum. Patrinus fuit Franciscus Barozius hujus Vicinæ et obstetrix pro Rev'da Matre D. Clara Teodora Nicola Professa in Monasterio Sancta Mariae Cistelli."—"Atti Parocchiali di San Donato," Vol. ii., p. 83.)
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