Enrico Ceruti
Encyclopedia
Enrico Ceruti was an Italian violin maker born in Cremona
, known as the last of the great line of violinmakers of Cremona.
He was the son of Giuseppe Ceruti and grandson to Giovanni Battista Ceruti
.
He was also an active dealer of fine old instruments dealing with Luigi Tarisio
and Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume among others.
Being 3rd generation violin maker, he learned his trade from his father Giuseppe, and was a double bass player as well, like his father.
Left the family home in 1826, and records show that by 1830 was registered as a violin maker, although few instruments from before 1840 survive.
Experts speculate that it is conceivable that Enrico was working with his father during the period of 1840's-1850's and it would explain the extreme rarity of instruments made by Giuseppe dating from that period.
At a time when best European makers were imitating Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu, Enrico followed a different path. Enrico's work shows that he drew much of his inspiration from the Bergonzi
s.
Enrico exhibited his instruments in various European cities, but his work does not seem to have been greatly appreciated outside Italy. As a result, he had not attained any great wealth.
His students include Gaetano Antoniazzi
.
(who learned his craft in the Ceruti workshop), along with his sons Riccardo
and Romeo
trained Leandro Bisiach
, and together with the Antoniazzis, Bisiach influenced the creation of a workshop environment that was to dominate early to middle 20th Century Italian violinmaking."
"Thanks to the efforts of many of those great makers (which began with Gaetano Antoniazzi
) and later with support of people like Simone Fernando Sacconi
, the glory of Cremona was re-established with the opening of the School of Violin Making (officially in 1938, Cremona)."
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
, known as the last of the great line of violinmakers of Cremona.
He was the son of Giuseppe Ceruti and grandson to Giovanni Battista Ceruti
Giovanni Battista Ceruti
Giovanni Battista Ceruti was an influential Italian violin maker, and is considered a direct link to the grand tradition of the Cremonese master violin makers/ Luthiers of the 18th century....
.
He was also an active dealer of fine old instruments dealing with Luigi Tarisio
Luigi Tarisio
This page refers to the violin dealer and collector. For the online string instrument auction house, see Tarisio Auctions.Luigi Tarisio was an Italian violin dealer and collector....
and Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume among others.
Being 3rd generation violin maker, he learned his trade from his father Giuseppe, and was a double bass player as well, like his father.
Left the family home in 1826, and records show that by 1830 was registered as a violin maker, although few instruments from before 1840 survive.
Experts speculate that it is conceivable that Enrico was working with his father during the period of 1840's-1850's and it would explain the extreme rarity of instruments made by Giuseppe dating from that period.
At a time when best European makers were imitating Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu, Enrico followed a different path. Enrico's work shows that he drew much of his inspiration from the Bergonzi
Carlo Bergonzi
Carlo Bergonzi is an Italian operatic tenor. Although he performed and recorded some bel canto and verismo roles, he is above all associated with the operas of Giuseppe Verdi, including a large number of the composer's lesser-known works that he helped revive...
s.
Enrico exhibited his instruments in various European cities, but his work does not seem to have been greatly appreciated outside Italy. As a result, he had not attained any great wealth.
His students include Gaetano Antoniazzi
Gaetano Antoniazzi
Gaetano Antoniazzi was an Italian violin-maker.Antoniazzi was born in Cremona, where he learned his craft in the Ceruti workshop before establishing himself in Milan in 1870 and bringing with him the Cremonese tradition of his teachers Enrico and Giovanni Battista Ceruti...
.
Quotes
"Ceruti Dynasty carried on the tradition from the times of Storioni and Bergonzi's - and became the direct link to the 20th century makers. Gaetano AntoniazziGaetano Antoniazzi
Gaetano Antoniazzi was an Italian violin-maker.Antoniazzi was born in Cremona, where he learned his craft in the Ceruti workshop before establishing himself in Milan in 1870 and bringing with him the Cremonese tradition of his teachers Enrico and Giovanni Battista Ceruti...
(who learned his craft in the Ceruti workshop), along with his sons Riccardo
Riccardo Antoniazzi
Riccardo Antoniazzi , Italian violin maker, the sixth child and pupil of Gaetano , was the ablest and most consistent violin maker of his family. Unfortunately he lived somewhat in the shadow of Leandro Bisiach and he did not sign many of the instruments from his best period...
and Romeo
Romeo Antoniazzi
Romeo Antoniazzi was the eighth son and pupil of Gaetano Antoniazzi.Initially he worked with his father and brother and like them made instruments for Leandro Bisiach....
trained Leandro Bisiach
Leandro Bisiach
-Biography:Leandro Bisiach was a violin maker born in Casale Monferrato Italy and died in 1945 at Venegono Superiore.Trained as a violinist, he made his first violin on his own and received praise for it. Thus he decided to become a violin maker and moved to Milan to work with the Antoniazzi...
, and together with the Antoniazzis, Bisiach influenced the creation of a workshop environment that was to dominate early to middle 20th Century Italian violinmaking."
"Thanks to the efforts of many of those great makers (which began with Gaetano Antoniazzi
Gaetano Antoniazzi
Gaetano Antoniazzi was an Italian violin-maker.Antoniazzi was born in Cremona, where he learned his craft in the Ceruti workshop before establishing himself in Milan in 1870 and bringing with him the Cremonese tradition of his teachers Enrico and Giovanni Battista Ceruti...
) and later with support of people like Simone Fernando Sacconi
Simone Fernando Sacconi
Simone Fernando Sacconi was an expert Italian violin maker and restorer who studied fellow luthier Antonio Stradivari extensively during his lifetime....
, the glory of Cremona was re-established with the opening of the School of Violin Making (officially in 1938, Cremona)."