Giovanni Battista Ceruti
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Battista Ceruti (1756–1817) was an influential Italian violin maker, and is considered a direct link to the grand tradition of the Cremonese master violin makers/ Luthier
s of the 18th century.
Born a generation after Stradivarius
and Guarnerius, with no direct link to the great tradition, violin making made an unlikely comeback in Cremona in the person of Lorenzo Storioni
and his two followers, Giovanni Rota and Giovanni Battista Ceruti.
Along with Giovanni Rota, G.B. Ceruti was a follower of Lorenzo Storioni
.
He was born just outside of Cremona
and did not take up violin making until about age 40. It is said that he was probably self-taught, and his change of profession may have come through his colleagues in the textile trade, Bergonzi brothers, Nicola and Carlo II nephews of Michel Angelo Bergonzi, who did make a few violins.
Ceruti’s work is cleaner than Storioni’s, and more prolific than Rota’s. Philip Kass states that Ceruti was sponsored by a nobleman, to the displeasure of the famous dealer and collector Count Cozio, who was promoting other makers, including Giovanni Battista Guadagnini
and Giacomo Rivolta of Milan. Ceruti’s son Giuseppe and grandson Enrico
carried on as the premier violin makers of Cremona until Enrico’s death in 1883.
Ceruti Dynasty carried on the tradition from the times of Storioni
.
Italy endured many wars, and finding materials for makers, at times was very difficult.
"Decades of war, “reforms,” and repeated conquering by the French and Austrians dismantled the social and economic structure of Cremona, as Duane Rosengard explains in a 1991 paper published in the Journal of the Violin Society of America. In the 1770s, just as Storioni emerged, the guilds that had governed the skilled crafts since the Middle Ages were abolished by the conquering Austrians. The Jesuit fathers, whose educational institutions were major patrons of the violin makers, were suppressed by the Pope; and the lay corporations, who conducted commerce on behalf of Cremona’s religious orders, were abolished. The church and nobility—primary patrons of the violin makers—lost power and money as the French and Austrians taxed and requisitioned treasure out of Italy to pay for the wars."
In 1802 he left Cremona and at some point took over Storioni's workshop. He died in 1817 most likely from typhus
(as there was a typhus outbreak in Cremona that year).
"Ceruti Dynasty carried on the tradition from the times of Storioni - (Giovanni Battista Ceruti was a pupil of Lorenzo Storioni) and became the direct link to the 20th century makers. 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)."
"Ceruti's work is rather cleaner and more precise than Storioni's, but his choice of wood was often somewhat plain. His main contribution to the history of violin making was the rekindling of the Cremonese tradition, and over three generations the Ceruti family were the principal makers in Cremona." - Tim Ingles
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
s of the 18th century.
Born a generation after Stradivarius
Stradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
and Guarnerius, with no direct link to the great tradition, violin making made an unlikely comeback in Cremona in the person of Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni is considered one of the last of the classic Cremonese master violin makers/ Luthiers of the 18th century....
and his two followers, Giovanni Rota and Giovanni Battista Ceruti.
Along with Giovanni Rota, G.B. Ceruti was a follower of Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni is considered one of the last of the classic Cremonese master violin makers/ Luthiers of the 18th century....
.
He was born just outside of 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...
and did not take up violin making until about age 40. It is said that he was probably self-taught, and his change of profession may have come through his colleagues in the textile trade, Bergonzi brothers, Nicola and Carlo II nephews of Michel Angelo Bergonzi, who did make a few violins.
Ceruti’s work is cleaner than Storioni’s, and more prolific than Rota’s. Philip Kass states that Ceruti was sponsored by a nobleman, to the displeasure of the famous dealer and collector Count Cozio, who was promoting other makers, including Giovanni Battista Guadagnini
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini ; was an emiliano luthier, regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history.-Biography:...
and Giacomo Rivolta of Milan. Ceruti’s son Giuseppe and grandson Enrico
Enrico Ceruti
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....
carried on as the premier violin makers of Cremona until Enrico’s death in 1883.
Ceruti Dynasty carried on the tradition from the times of Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni is considered one of the last of the classic Cremonese master violin makers/ Luthiers of the 18th century....
.
Italy endured many wars, and finding materials for makers, at times was very difficult.
"Decades of war, “reforms,” and repeated conquering by the French and Austrians dismantled the social and economic structure of Cremona, as Duane Rosengard explains in a 1991 paper published in the Journal of the Violin Society of America. In the 1770s, just as Storioni emerged, the guilds that had governed the skilled crafts since the Middle Ages were abolished by the conquering Austrians. The Jesuit fathers, whose educational institutions were major patrons of the violin makers, were suppressed by the Pope; and the lay corporations, who conducted commerce on behalf of Cremona’s religious orders, were abolished. The church and nobility—primary patrons of the violin makers—lost power and money as the French and Austrians taxed and requisitioned treasure out of Italy to pay for the wars."
In 1802 he left Cremona and at some point took over Storioni's workshop. He died in 1817 most likely from typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
(as there was a typhus outbreak in Cremona that year).
Quotes
"If rough work and poor wood characterized the Storioni-Rota-Ceruti school, they still find favor with musicians. “They were not the tidy boys, but they’re all acoustically rock solid,” says Boston violin maker Marilyn Wallin, who enjoys working on them for this reason. “As a group, they didn’t have the best wood, but they did know what to do with it.”"Ceruti Dynasty carried on the tradition from the times of Storioni - (Giovanni Battista Ceruti was a pupil of Lorenzo Storioni) and became the direct link to the 20th century makers. 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...
(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)."
"Ceruti's work is rather cleaner and more precise than Storioni's, but his choice of wood was often somewhat plain. His main contribution to the history of violin making was the rekindling of the Cremonese tradition, and over three generations the Ceruti family were the principal makers in Cremona." - Tim Ingles