Scan 198
Joseph Guarnerius, his work and his master [Andreas Gisalberti], 1906
12 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 130. See the scan on archive.org.
1portions. He was, however, Italian to the backbone, and while putting into his work for some time all he knew and had been trained to carry out, he could not help throwing in a few touches of his own, if, apparently, only to prevent people thinking of him as a servile copyist of his famous teacher. Now and then these slight displays of individualism were enlarged upon by him, causing them to be more conspicuous, and serving, to some extent, as landmarks for the connoisseurs of the future.
3Briefly, his principal departures from the exact lines of the Amati system consisted in an enlargement or lengthening of the waist curves, sometimes to a considerable extent, and in giving a larger arching to the upper part of the soundholes; this causes the lower portion to appear by contrast smaller and more turned up. They are drawn with unsurpassable neatness, the cutting, or knife work, being equal in all respects to that of the Amatis.
5Not so, however, the other portions of the work. Andreas Guarnerius was not happy in the cutting of his sycamore; while working the softer pine he was content, but when contesting with the tougher material used for the head, sides and back, impatience showed itself, causing unsteadiness of line in drawing, and a suspicion of uncertainty in the inlaying of the purfling.
7Of his tone, it might almost be said as a matter of course that it is of excellent quality, occasionally—indeed generally—reaching a high level; but, as with the artistic part of his work, or that which appealed to the mind through the eye, it was not of a kind that would lift the maker above his fellows in the vicinity, which was then the greatest centre of violin making the world has known.
9That he was duly versed in the mysteries of the finest varnish of Cremona there is no contention: but he was content with using a low-toned golden colour, or a soft, rich golden-brown on most, if not all, of his instruments.
11Andreas Guarnerius, although taking rank among "the
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