Author:Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù

Category：Entertainment

Year：1744

Size:Length:35.5 (cm)

Introduction：Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù was the son of Giuseppe Guarneri filius Andrea, the Guarneri family is widely recognized because of him. He ingeniously adopted experiences and features of his predecessors, such as Stradivari and Maggini, and created his own unique style. Thus, a new pattern of large-sized violin with bright timbre and sonority was developed. Guarneri del Gesù is considered to be the only luthier in the world to have ever rivaled Antonio Stradivari, and people admire him as “the greatest violinmaker after Stradivari”.

It is said that Guarneri del Gesù was a devout Catholic, therefore, violins made after 1729 bear the labels “IHS”, an abbreviation of Jesus’ name, along with a cross. In order to tell the difference between Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù and his father, in the archives he has been more often referred as “Guarneri del Gesù”.

This violin is considered the last masterpiece of Guarneri del Gesù. With its powerful sonority and legends behind it, W. E. Hill & Sons once claimed it “the most characteristic masterpiece of Guarneri del Gesù”. This violin was once owned by the famous Norwegian violinist, Ole Bull (1810-1880), who dedicated himself to his country's folk music and played a key role in the Norwegian national movements. This violin was his favorite instrument and thus named after him. The violin has been lent to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Edvard Grieg Museum in Bergen and Musée de la Musique in Paris. Moreover, it was shown on Norwegian TV shows and movies in memory of Ole Bull. The Ole Bull crafted by Guarneri del Gesù not only enjoys a highly acclaimed reputation internationally but is also an indispensable world-class masterpiece in the violin-making history.

Accession Number:0004533

Place of Orgin：Cremona, Italy