La Pucelle, also known as The Virgin, is a 1709 violin made by Antonio Stradivari. [1]
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial Strad are terms often used to refer to his instruments. It is estimated that Stradivari produced 1,116 instruments, 960 of which were violins. Around 650 instruments survived, including 450 to 512 violins.
It was Parisian dealer, luthier and maker Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume who gave the instrument its name.[ citation needed ] In the mid-19th century, Vuillaume disassembled the instrument for maintenance and observed, to his amazement, that the violin had remained untouched since it left Stradivari's workshop. He exclaimed, "C'est comme une pucelle!" ("It's like a virgin"!) The name stuck and that has been the violin's name ever since.
A luthier is someone who builds or repairs string instruments generally consisting of a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" comes from the French word luth, which means lute. A luthier was originally a maker of lutes, but the term now includes makers of stringed instruments such as the violin or guitar. A luthier does not make harps or pianos, as these require different skills and construction methods because their strings are secured to a frame.
Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume was a French luthier, businessman, inventor and winner of many awards. His workshop made over 3,000 instruments.
Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume created the instrument's tailpiece carved with the image of a woman in armor, Joan of Arc, the virgin warrior known as "La Pucelle d'Orléans". Vuillaume also created the instrument's elaborately carved pegs.
Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans", is considered a heroine of France for her role during the Lancastrian phase of the Hundred Years' War, and was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint. She was born to Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée, a peasant family, at Domrémy in northeast France. Joan claimed to have received visions of the archangel Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination late in the Hundred Years' War. The unannointed King Charles VII sent Joan to the Siege of Orléans as part of a relief army. She gained prominence after the siege was lifted only nine days later. Several additional swift victories led to Charles VII's consecration at Reims. This long-awaited event boosted French morale and paved the way for the final French victory.
According to the celebrated violin expert Charles Beare, La Pucelle is the first example of the instruments forming Stradivari's "Golden Period", the pilot model.
Charles Beare is a British violin expert, craftsman and dealer. In 2001, the New York Times described Beare as "the most esteemed authenticator in the world." In 2002, CNN characterized him as the "world's most respected violin dealer" and "king of all violin dealers." Fourth of five generations of a family of violin experts, he was the Director of the London-based John & Arthur Beare Ltd, before resigning in 2012. He is now a Director of the family firm Beare Violins Ltd.
The violin is currently owned by collector, David L. Fulton. He calls it one of his finest items in his collection and considers it one of the finest Stradivari instrument in the U.S. He described La Pucelle as having no cracks, no retouching, no worn-down corners or edges. It was once owned by heiress Huguette Clark, given to her on her 50th birthday in June 1956 by her mother Anna. Clark sold the violin to Fulton in 2001 under a contract that would conceal the identity of the seller for 10 years. [2] [3]
David L. Fulton is a private collector of Cremonese instruments. Born in 1944, he grew up in Eugene, Oregon, playing the violin from an early age. He studied mathematics at the University of Chicago, and was concertmaster of the University of Chicago Symphony while he was there.
Huguette Marcelle Clark was an American heiress and philanthropist, who became well known again late in life as a recluse, living in hospitals for more than 20 years while her various mansions remained unoccupied. She is the subject of the No. 1 bestselling biography Empty Mansions and the planned film based on the book.
"It really has an amazing purity of tone, but purity with
incredible breadth as well. I think that it's like a beam
of light that is very strong and very wide. ... I've never
seen another violin like it."
— Canadian violinist James Ehnes [3] [4]
James Ehnes, is a Canadian concert violinist and violist.
Ernesto Camillo Sivori, was an Italian virtuoso violinist and composer.
The Soil Stradivarius of 1714 is an antique violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). A product of Stradivari’s golden period, it is considered one of his finest. The Soil was acquired by Yehudi Menuhin in 1950, and in 1986 by Itzhak Perlman who played this instrument while recording the Cinema Serenade with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1997. The Soil Stradivarius is currently owned and played by Itzhak Perlman.
The Viotti; ex-Bruce Stradivarius of 1709 is an antique violin constructed by luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644-1737). It is one of only 700 known extant Stradivari instruments.
The Messiah - Salabue Stradivarius of 1716 is a violin made by the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. It is considered to be the only Stradivarius in existence in as new state. It is in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England.
The Ex-Marsick Stradivarius of 1715 is a violin named after Belgian violinist and teacher Martin Pierre Marsick (1847–1924), who owned the instrument made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. The instrument, valued at approximately $8 million USD, now belongs to the Fulton Collection and is played by James Ehnes.
Luigi Tarisio was an Italian violin dealer and collector.
Louis Kaufman was an American violinist and possibly the most recorded musical artist of the 20th century. He played on the soundtrack of as many as 500 movies and made over 100 musical recordings. He is also credited with reviving the music of Antonio Vivaldi with his recording of The Four Seasons in 1947, which won the Grand Prix du Disque in 1950, was elected to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002, and in 2003 was selected for the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.
Nicolas Maline was a luthier and an archetier/bow maker.
The Lauterbach Stradivarius of 1719 is an antique violin fabricated by Italian luthier, Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). The instrument derives its name from previous owner, German virtuoso, Johann Christoph Lauterbach.
Stefan-Peter Greiner is a German luthier.
Nicolas Lupot was one of the most illustrious French luthiers of his time.
Jules Auguste Garcin [Salomon] was a French violinist, conductor and composer of the 19th century.
David Laurie - was a distinguished 19th century violin collector.
Nicolas François Vuillaume (1802–1876) was an important French luthier of the Vuillaume family, and younger brother of the illustrious Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume. He ran the leading workshop in Brussels, Belgium, and was appointed instrument maker to the Royal Conservatory in Brussels. His instruments won a number of medals at exhibitions.
The Lady Blunt is a Stradivarius violin made in 1721 by the renowned Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari. It is named after one of its first known owners, Lady Anne Blunt, the British co-founder of the Crabbet Arabian Stud.
Charles François Gand (1787–1845) was one of the foremost violin makers/ luthier and dealers of his time.