Città:
Genoa
Year:
1750
Liutaio:
Bernardo Calcanius
From “
Il Museo della Musica” by Artemio Versari
One of the most representative makers of the Genoese School of his time.
His work is varied and inconsistent and is inspired by Guarneri del Gesù. His instruments have flat borders, rather large corners, and roughly carved scrolls. The varnish is a transparent yellow and the sound is good.
From "
Three centuries of Italian Violin Making" by Artemio Versari
Bernardo Calcanius may be considered the most important Genovese violin maker of the 18th century.
According to bibliographical sources he was working at about 1740 with Antonio Pazarini, another Genovese violin maker of this time; proof is in the form of a label in a violin bearing the words: Antonius Pazarinus et Calcanius/Genuae 1740.
His work, which can be dated to the period 1730-1760, is wide-ranging with regard to the characteristics of his individual instruments: some have very accentuated arching with thin and insubstantial varnish, while others are relatively flat with beautiful golden yellow varnish of great quality. His instruments are inspired by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesù.
The violin displayed here is a beautiful example of this violin-maker’s work. The yellow-brown varnish, well conserved especially on the back and ribs, is of good formulation.
The sound, excellent and harmonious, blend very well with the beautiful workmanship of the instrument, which is one of the rare masterpieces of this maestro.