{"id":32536,"date":"2026-04-21T09:12:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T07:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vichy-encheres.com\/?p=32536"},"modified":"2026-05-18T08:54:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T06:54:02","slug":"violoncelle-francesco-guadagnini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vichy-encheres.com\/en\/2026\/04\/21\/violoncelle-francesco-guadagnini\/","title":{"rendered":"Un violoncelle de Francesco Guadagnini"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 \u00e0 Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 4 juin 2026, ce violoncelle de Francesco Guadagnini, r\u00e9alis\u00e9 \u00e0 Turin en 1888, s\u2019inscrit dans l\u2019\u00e2ge d\u2019or de la production du luthier, c\u2019est-\u00e0-dire des ann\u00e9es 1880 jusqu\u2019\u00e0 la fin du XIX\u00e8me si\u00e8cle – ann\u00e9es durant lesquelles il r\u00e9alise ses instruments les plus aboutis. R\u00e9f\u00e9renc\u00e9 dans l\u2019ouvrage d\u2019Eric Blot consacr\u00e9 \u00e0 la lutherie pi\u00e9montaise, ce violoncelle est l\u2019un des rares de cette p\u00e9riode \u00e0 \u00eatre parvenus jusqu\u2019\u00e0 nous en bon \u00e9tat. Il a \u00e9galement l\u2019int\u00e9r\u00eat de b\u00e9n\u00e9ficier d\u2019une provenance clairement \u00e9tablie, puisque il est pass\u00e9 entre les mains de plusieurs musiciens en lien avec de grandes institutions parisiennes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Catalogue de vente<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Catalogue de la collection Jean-Fran\u00e7ois Raffin<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 1er juin 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 2 juin 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 3 juin 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 4 juin 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Experts<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
English version<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Francesco Guadagnini et la lutherie pi\u00e9montaise \u00e0 la fin du XIXe<\/sup> si\u00e8cle<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Francesco Guadagnini (Turin, 1863 – 1948) appartient \u00e0 la derni\u00e8re g\u00e9n\u00e9ration active d\u2019une des plus importantes dynasties de luthiers italiens. H\u00e9ritier d\u2019un nom prestigieux associ\u00e9 \u00e0 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, il reprend tr\u00e8s t\u00f4t l\u2019atelier familial \u00e0 la mort de son p\u00e8re Antonio, en 1881, alors qu\u2019il n\u2019a que dix-huit ans. L\u2019atelier, situ\u00e9 via Po \u00e0 Turin, compte parmi les plus actifs de la ville \u00e0 la fin du XIX\u00e8me si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comme le souligne Eric Blot[1]<\/sup><\/a>, Francesco Guadagnini est l\u2019un des derniers de la lign\u00e9e \u00e0 exercer la lutherie. Il se distingue par l\u2019importance de sa production, qui le place, par le nombre d\u2019instruments r\u00e9alis\u00e9s, imm\u00e9diatement apr\u00e8s son anc\u00eatre Giovanni Battista. Tr\u00e8s t\u00f4t \u00e0 la t\u00eate de l\u2019atelier apr\u00e8s la mort de son p\u00e8re, il en assure la direction tout en poursuivant la fabrication et la restauration d\u2019instruments. En outre, il participe avec son fr\u00e8re \u00e0 plusieurs expositions internationales – notamment \u00e0 Turin en 1884, o\u00f9 les \u201cFratelli Guadagnini\u201d obtiennent une m\u00e9daille d\u2019argent, mais aussi \u00e0 Anvers en 1885, et \u00e0 Vienne en 1892 o\u00f9 il re\u00e7oit une m\u00e9daille d\u2019or.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c0 la fin du XIX\u00e8me si\u00e8cle, Turin est l\u2019un des principaux centres de lutherie italienne. Dans le sillage de Pressenda et de la tradition des Guadagnini, se d\u00e9ploie une nouvelle g\u00e9n\u00e9ration de luthiers particuli\u00e8rement int\u00e9ressants, parmi lesquels Enrico Marchetti, Annibale Fagnola ou encore Evasio Emilio Guerra.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Eric Blot, Liuteria Italiana, vol. IV : 1800\u20131950. 150 anni di liuteria. 150 years of violinmaking in Piemonte (Piedmont), Eric Blot Edizioni<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Annibale Fagnola : une \u0153uvre entre c\u00e9l\u00e9bration des anciens et style personnel<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n
Int\u00e9ressant et rare violoncelle de Jean-Baptiste GUADAGNINI
Fait \u00e0 Milan en 1752 – Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 juin 2018
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"Turin,<\/a>
Turin, Via Pio, 1930<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Violon<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Violon<\/a><\/figure>\n
Violon d’Annibale Fagnola – Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 27 novembre 2019 – \u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Production de Francesco Guadagnini<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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La production de Francesco Guadagnini est difficile \u00e0 organiser en phases nettement distinctes en raison de sa diversit\u00e9. Dans les ann\u00e9es 1880, elle reste encore \u00e9troitement li\u00e9e \u00e0 celle de son p\u00e8re, tant dans son organisation que dans son orientation largement commerciale. C\u2019est toutefois \u00e0 cette \u00e9poque que se d\u00e9veloppe son int\u00e9r\u00eat croissant pour la fabrication, probablement sous l\u2019influence d\u2019Enrico Marchetti – le dernier \u00e9l\u00e8ve de son p\u00e8re encore actif au sein de l\u2019atelier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selon Blot, c\u2019est \u00e0 la fin des ann\u00e9es 1880\/1990 – c\u2019est-\u00e0-dire \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9poque de la fabrication du violoncelle de 1888 pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 dans cette vente – que \u201cFrancesco r\u00e9alisa ses meilleurs instruments\u201d, dans un contexte d\u2019\u00e9mulation artistique stimul\u00e9 par la pr\u00e9sence de jeunes luthiers turinois. Comme en t\u00e9moigne notre instrument, les mod\u00e8les s\u2019inspirent alors directement de Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, tout en s\u2019adaptant aux go\u00fbts et usages de l\u2019\u00e9poque, avec un trac\u00e9 plus r\u00e9gulier, des lignes plus nettes et des coins plus carr\u00e9s. Le vernis est \u00e9galement caract\u00e9ristique de sa production, lisse, de teinte rouge ros\u00e9e, pas totalement transparent, proche de celui utilis\u00e9 par Marchetti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apr\u00e8s 1910-1912, la production tend \u00e0 se stabiliser, avant d\u2019\u00e9voluer dans les ann\u00e9es 1920-1930 vers des instruments parfois jug\u00e9s plus rigides dans leur conception, voire r\u00e9alis\u00e9s en partie par des collaborateurs, notamment Evasio Emilio Guerra, et recouverts d\u2019un vernis plus dur et cassant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dans ce contexte, les instruments de la fin du XIX\u00e8me si\u00e8cle apparaissent aujourd\u2019hui comme particuli\u00e8rement int\u00e9ressants et recherch\u00e9s, tant pour la qualit\u00e9 de leur facture que pour leur position dans l\u2019\u00e9volution stylistique du luthier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Joli<\/a><\/figure>\n
Joli violon d’Enrico MARCHETTI – Fait \u00e0 Turin en 1917 – Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 2 juin 2022 – \u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n
Int\u00e9ressant et rare violoncelle de Francesco GUADAGNINI – Fait \u00e0 Turin en 1888
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 4 juin 2026 – \u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Le violoncelle de 1888<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Le violoncelle propos\u00e9 \u00e0 la vente \u00e0 Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 4 juin 2026 offre un rare exemple de la production de Francesco Guadagnini \u00e0 cet \u00e2ge d\u2019or. Comme l\u2019indique l\u2019\u00e9tiquette, l\u2019instrument a \u00e9t\u00e9 r\u00e9alis\u00e9 \u00e0 Turin en 1888 et porte \u00e9galement plusieurs marques au fer du luthier sur le fond. Le mod\u00e8le est d\u2019ailleurs r\u00e9f\u00e9renc\u00e9 dans l\u2019ouvrage d\u2019Eric Blot sur La lutherie pi\u00e9montaise<\/em> (tome IV, p. 326), comme un exemple rare et remarquable de la production de la fin de si\u00e8cle :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIl s\u2019agit d\u2019un instrument tr\u00e8s int\u00e9ressant, car il fait partie des rares exemples de la production de l\u2019atelier Guadagnini \u00e0 la fin du XIX\u00e8me si\u00e8cle. Il a \u00e9t\u00e9 construit avec soin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric Blot, Liuteria Italiana, vol. IV : 1800\u20131950. 150 anni di liuteria. 150 years of violinmaking in Piemonte (Piedmont), Eric Blot Edizioni<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Blot rel\u00e8ve \u00e9galement l\u2019int\u00e9r\u00eat du vernis :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cLe vernis [\u2026] a \u00e9t\u00e9 appliqu\u00e9 en deux couches de compositions diff\u00e9rentes. La couche inf\u00e9rieure est jaune et pr\u00e9sente une composition plus dure et plus r\u00e9sistante, tandis que la couche sup\u00e9rieure est rouge ros\u00e9, plus souple et pas tout \u00e0 fait transparente.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric Blot, Liuteria Italiana, vol. IV : 1800\u20131950. 150 anni di liuteria. 150 years of violinmaking in Piemonte (Piedmont), Eric Blot Edizioni<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Cette application en deux couches rel\u00e8ve \u00e0 la fois d\u2019une logique de protection et d\u2019une recherche esth\u00e9tique. La superposition d\u2019une base r\u00e9sistante et d\u2019une couche plus souple et color\u00e9e conf\u00e8re au vernis une profondeur et une texture caract\u00e9ristiques. Elle rapproche l\u2019instrument des pratiques de certains luthiers turinois contemporains, notamment Marchetti.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n
Int\u00e9ressant et rare violoncelle de Francesco GUADAGNINI – Fait \u00e0 Turin en 1888
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 4 juin 2026 – \u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Provenance : de l\u2019Op\u00e9ra-Comique \u00e0 la Garde r\u00e9publicaine<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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La provenance de l\u2019instrument est clairement \u00e9tablie puisque celui-ci est pass\u00e9 entre les mains de musiciens issus de grandes institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Il a \u00e9t\u00e9 acquis neuf par le violoncelliste italien M. Verchelesi, avant d\u2019\u00eatre jou\u00e9 \u00e0 partir des ann\u00e9es 1930 par Fernand Benedetti, violoncelle solo de l\u2019Op\u00e9ra-Comique. Il passe ensuite entre les mains de son fils, Ren\u00e9 Benedetti<\/a>, violoncelle solo de l\u2019Op\u00e9ra national de Paris, qui l\u2019utilise tout au long de sa carri\u00e8re. L\u2019instrument a ainsi \u00e9t\u00e9 jou\u00e9 par deux g\u00e9n\u00e9rations de violoncellistes solos dans des grandes institutions parisiennes. Le propri\u00e9taire actuel, ancien \u00e9l\u00e8ve de Ren\u00e9 Benedetti au Conservatoire national sup\u00e9rieur de musique de Paris, en fait l\u2019acquisition dans les ann\u00e9es 2000 et l\u2019utilise depuis au sein de l\u2019orchestre \u00e0 cordes de la Garde r\u00e9publicaine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Cette transmission directe, d\u2019un ma\u00eetre \u00e0 son \u00e9l\u00e8ve, atteste \u00e0 la fois de la clart\u00e9 de sa provenance et de la continuit\u00e9 de son usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ainsi, sur pr\u00e8s d\u2019un si\u00e8cle, ce violoncelle appara\u00eet \u00e9troitement li\u00e9 \u00e0 une pratique orchestrale fran\u00e7aise de premier plan, depuis l\u2019Op\u00e9ra-Comique et l\u2019Op\u00e9ra national de Paris jusqu\u2019\u00e0 la Garde r\u00e9publicaine. Une telle continuit\u00e9, associ\u00e9e \u00e0 des interpr\u00e8tes identifi\u00e9s, constitue un \u00e9l\u00e9ment particuli\u00e8rement int\u00e9ressant dans l\u2019appr\u00e9ciation historique de l\u2019instrument. Elle donne \u00e9galement une indication quant aux qualit\u00e9s acoustiques de l\u2019instrument, que le propri\u00e9taire actuel d\u00e9crit comme ayant \u201cune qualit\u00e9 de son italienne, facile \u00e0 jouer\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Th\u00e9\u00e2tre<\/a>
Th\u00e9\u00e2tre National de l’Op\u00e9ra Comique, Paris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Op\u00e9ra<\/a>
Op\u00e9ra national de Paris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Concert<\/a>
Concert de l’Orchestre de la Garde R\u00e9publicaine, cr\u00e9dits photos Geoffrey KEMER<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Ce violoncelle de Francesco Guadagnini r\u00e9alis\u00e9 \u00e0 Turin en 1888 s\u2019inscrit ainsi dans l\u2019\u00e2ge d\u2019or de l\u2019activit\u00e9 du luthier, lorsque sa production atteint son plus haut degr\u00e9 de perfectionnement. La qualit\u00e9 de sa facture et ses caract\u00e9ristiques techniques, relev\u00e9es notamment dans l\u2019ouvrage d\u2019\u00c9ric Blot, t\u00e9moignent du haut degr\u00e9 d\u2019aboutissement atteint par la lutherie pi\u00e9montaise de la fin du XIX\u00e8me si\u00e8cle. \u00c0 ces \u00e9l\u00e9ments s\u2019ajoute une provenance clairement \u00e9tablie, marqu\u00e9e par une continuit\u00e9 d\u2019usage au sein de prestigieuses institutions fran\u00e7aises, renfor\u00e7ant l\u2019int\u00e9r\u00eat historique de l\u2019instrument.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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A CELLO BY FRANCESCO GUADAGNINI<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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This cello by Francesco Guadagnini, offered at Vichy Ench\u00e8res on 4 June 2026, was made in Turin in 1888, and therefore dates from the maker\u2019s golden age, when he made his most accomplished instruments, during the period from the 1880s until the end of the 19th century. This cello, which features in Eric Blot’s work on Piedmontese violin making, is one of the few from this period to have survived to the present day in good condition. It is also notable for its clearly established provenance, having passed through the hands of several musicians associated with major Parisian institutions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Catalog<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Catalog of the Jean Fran\u00e7ois Raffin collection <\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 1 June 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 2 June 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 3 June 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 4 June 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Experts<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Version fran\u00e7aise<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Francesco Guadagnini and Piedmontese violin making at the end of the 19th century<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Francesco Guadagnini (Turin, 1863 \u2013 1948) belongs to the last active generation of one of the most important dynasties of Italian violin makers. He bore a prestigious name in violin making, associated with Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, and took over the family workshop very early on, when he was only 18 years old, upon the death of his father Antonio in 1881. The workshop, located on via Po in Turin, was among the most active in the city at the end of the 19th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Eric Blot points out[1]<\/sup><\/a>, ], Francesco Guadagnini was one of the last members of the family to practice violin making. He is notable for the high volume of his production, which, in terms of the number of instruments made, places him immediately after his ancestor Giovanni Battista. He took over the workshop at a young age, after his father’s death, and managed it, while continuing to make and restore instruments. He also took part, with his brother, in several international exhibitions \u2013 in particular in Turin in 1884, where the “Fratelli Guadagnini” won a silver medal, but also in Antwerp in 1885, and in Vienna in 1892 where he was awarded a gold medal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the 19th century, Turin was one of the main centres of violin making in Italy. Following in the footsteps of Pressenda and the Guadagnini tradition, a new generation of particularly interesting makers emerged, including Enrico Marchetti, Annibale Fagnola and Evasio Emilio Guerra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Eric Blot, Liuteria Italiana, vol. IV : 1800\u20131950. 150 anni di liuteria. 150 years of violinmaking in Piemonte (Piedmont), Eric Blot Edizioni<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Annibale Fagnola: work that celebrates the older masters whilst remaining personal in style<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n
Int\u00e9ressant et rare violoncelle de Jean-Baptiste GUADAGNINI
Fait \u00e0 Milan en 1752 – Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 juin 2018
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"Turin,<\/a>
Turin, Via Pio, 1930<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Violon<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Violon<\/a><\/figure>\n
Violon d’Annibale Fagnola – Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 27 novembre 2019 – \u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Francesco Guadagnini’s production<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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The production of Francesco Guadagnini is difficult to organize into clearly distinct phases due to its diversity. In the 1880s, it remained closely linked to that of his father, both in its organization and its largely commercial focus. However, it was during this period that his growing interest in instrument making developed, likely under the influence of Enrico Marchetti \u2013 the last of his father’s pupils to still be active in the workshop.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Blot, it was in the late 1880s to 1890s \u2013 i.e., around the time of the 1888 cello offered in this sale \u2013 that \u201cFrancesco produced his finest instruments\u201d, in a context of artistic competition stimulated by the presence of young Turin makers. As our instrument demonstrates, the models were then directly inspired by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, while being adapted to the tastes and practices of the time, with a more continuous outline, cleaner lines and squarer corners. The varnish is also typical of his work: smooth, rosy-red in colour, not entirely transparent, and similar to the one used by Marchetti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 1910 \u2013 1912, the style of his production settled, before evolving in the 1920s and 1930s towards instruments sometimes considered more rigid in their design, sometimes made in collaboration with other makers, in particular Evasio Emilio Guerra, and coated with a harder and more brittle varnish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this context, his instruments from the late 19th century are today particularly interesting and sought after, both for the quality of their craftsmanship and for their place in the stylistic evolution of his production.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Joli<\/a><\/figure>\n
Joli violon d’Enrico MARCHETTI – Fait \u00e0 Turin en 1917 – Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 2 juin 2022 – \u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n
Int\u00e9ressant et rare violoncelle de Francesco GUADAGNINI – Fait \u00e0 Turin en 1888
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 4 juin 2026 – \u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The cello of 1888<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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The cello offered for sale at Vichy Ench\u00e8res on 4 June 2026 is a rare example of Francesco Guadagnini’s work during this golden age. As the label indicates, the instrument was made in Turin in 1888, and it also bears several of the maker’s brands on the back. This example is indeed referenced in Eric Blot’s work La lutherie pi\u00e9montaise<\/em> (volume IV, p. 326) as a rare and remarkable example of late 19th-century production:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThis is a very interesting instrument, as it is one of the rare examples produced by the Guadagnini workshop at the end of the 19th century. It was made with care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric Blot, Liuteria Italiana, vol. IV : 1800\u20131950. 150 anni di liuteria. 150 years of violinmaking in Piemonte (Piedmont), Eric Blot Edizioni<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Blot also notes the significance of the varnish:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe varnish [\u2026] was applied in two layers of different compositions. The lower layer is yellow and has a harder and more resistant composition, while the upper layer is pinkish-red, more flexible, and not entirely transparent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric Blot, Liuteria Italiana, vol. IV : 1800\u20131950. 150 anni di liuteria. 150 years of violinmaking in Piemonte (Piedmont), Eric Blot Edizioni<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This two-layer application serves both a protective and an aesthetic function. The layering of a resistant base under a more flexible and coloured layer gives the varnish a characteristic depth and texture. This is reminiscent of the practices of certain contemporary Turin violin makers, in particular Marchetti.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Int\u00e9ressant<\/a><\/figure>\n
Int\u00e9ressant et rare violoncelle de Francesco GUADAGNINI – Fait \u00e0 Turin en 1888
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 4 juin 2026 – \u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Provenance: from the Op\u00e9ra-Comique to the French Republican Guard<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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The instrument’s provenance is clearly established, as it has passed through the hands of musicians from major institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was acquired new by the Italian cellist M. Verchelesi, before being played from the 1930s onward by Fernand Benedetti, principal cellist of the Op\u00e9ra-Comique. It then passed into the hands of his son, Ren\u00e9 Benedetti<\/a>, principal cellist of the Paris Opera, who used it throughout his career. Therefore, the instrument was played by two generations of principal cellists in major Parisian institutions. The current owner, a former student of Ren\u00e9 Benedetti at the Paris Conservatory, acquired it in the 2000s and has used it since with the string orchestra of the French Republican Guard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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This direct transmission, from master to student, attests to both the clarity of its provenance and the continuity of its use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, for nearly a century, this cello appears to have been closely linked to leading French orchestral performance, from the Op\u00e9ra-Comique and the Paris Opera to the French Republican Guard. Such continuity, combined with identified performers, constitutes a particularly interesting element in the historical appreciation of the instrument. It also provides an indication of the instrument’s acoustic qualities, with the current owner describing it as having “an Italian sound quality, easy to play”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Th\u00e9\u00e2tre<\/a>
Th\u00e9\u00e2tre National de l’Op\u00e9ra Comique, Paris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Op\u00e9ra national de Paris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Concert<\/a>
Concert de l’Orchestre de la Garde R\u00e9publicaine, cr\u00e9dits photos Geoffrey KEMER<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This cello by Francesco Guadagnini, made in Turin in 1888, dates from the maker\u2019s golden age, when his production reached its highest level of refinement. The quality of its construction and its technical features, noted in particular in the work by \u00c9ric Blot, testify to the high degree of proficiency attained by Piedmontese instrument making at the end of the 19th century. Added to these elements is a clearly established provenance, marked by continuous use within prestigious French institutions, reinforcing the historical significance of the instrument.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\ude80 Suivez-nous !<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n