Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri 'del Gesù'

Overview

Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri, known as del Gesu from the I.H.S. monogram on his later labels, is with Stradivari the other name at the summit of Italian violin making. His work is freer and less regular than Stradivari's, and it is prized above all for power and depth of tone; Paganini's favourite violin, the Cannon of 1743, was one of his instruments.

Life and work

He came from the Guarneri family of Cremona, son of Giuseppe filius Andreae, and worked in the city until his early death in 1744. The years from about 1730 onwards produced his most individual work, made quickly and with an indifference to finish that later generations came to read as a sign of his hand.

Workshop and location

Cremona, Italy. Unlike the Stradivari shop, his output appears to have been small and largely the work of one man, which is one reason why surviving instruments vary as much as they do.

School and style

Cremonese school, but individual rather than academic: wide and often asymmetrical outlines, bold scrolls, a full arch and a varnish of warm colour. The sound is generally described as dark and powerful, which is why many soloists have preferred these instruments to more elegant Cremonese work.

Labels and brands

Later labels carry the I.H.S. monogram and the cross that gave him his nickname, a detail that copyists reproduced for two centuries. The monogram proves nothing by itself.

Instruments in the market

Comparatively few violins survive and each is documented individually, with the 1743 Cannon in Genoa among the best known. Cellos attributed to him are rare and are treated with particular caution by specialists.

Authentication notes

Expect expert examination of the outline, the scroll, the varnish and the wood, and a certificate from a recognised authority; the name is copied constantly and the financial stakes are the highest in the trade. This page is reference material and is not an authentication.