Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri was the son of Giuseppe Giovanni Battista. He is known as Joseph Guarnerius del Gesù. He lived and worked in Cremona, Italy.
He was born in 1698 and died in 1744. Stradivari and Guarnerius are ranked as the greatest violin makers.
The "Sauret" Guarneri del Gesù
of 1740-1744
The "Sauret" del Gesù is an exceptional violin from the hands of a great
master. A beautifully figured back of two pieces is joined with the flames
ascending from the edges toward the center joint. The workmanship and style
exhibits the individuality of approach similar to other great del Gesù violins
from his later period. The instrument is named for violinist Emile Sauret who
was said to prefer it to his Stradivari of 1684.
After Sauret’s death in 1920, the violin passed to John P. Sheridan. In 1931
the Hills recorded Ralph H. Norton as the owner. The violin appeared in the
Stradivari Bicentenary Exhibition of 1937 where it was cataloged as from the
year 1744, however the Hill book lists it from the year 1740. Itzhak Perlman
acquired the "Sauret" del Gesù in 1986 from Howard Gottleib.
This is not the first time the "Soil" and a fine del Gesù have shared the home
of the same owner or virtuoso. The Hills mention M. Soil in connection with a
del Gesù violin of 1736. Lord Menuhin owned both the "Lord Wilton" del Gesù
and the "Soil" Stradivari from 1978 until 1986.
In 1994, Mr. Perlman graciously lent the instrument for exhibition in "The
Violin Masterpieces of Guarneri del Gesù" held at the Metropolitan Museum of
Art in New York. Contributed by Jeffrey Holmes
Photo images courtesy of Peter Biddulph, London,
scanned from the program notes of the met exhibition of 1994
original photographs from the archives of Bein & Fushi, Chicago
Peter Biddulph was Met Guarneri del Gesù exhibition
organizer and sponsor in 1994
We are indeed indebted to Mr. Perlman for both his generosity in sharing these
wonderful instruments with the public through exhibition and for the glorious
and inspiring music he produces with them.
The "Sauret" is illustrated in the program booklet The Violin Masterpieces of
Guarneri del Gesù, An Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Commemorating
the 250th Anniversary of the Makers Death, Peter Biddulph (London 1994)
And in the exciting new book 25 Masterpieces by Guarneri del Gesù, Peter Biddulph 1999.
Hill, W. H., A. F. and A. E., The Violin Makers of the Guarneri Family, W. E.
Hill & Sons, London 1931; reprinted by Dover Books, New York, 1991.
These pictures have been sent to me with permission to use them on my site
from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
They may not be downloaded for personal use or on any other web page.
The "Sauret" del Gesù is an exceptional violin from the hands of a great
master. A beautifully figured back of two pieces is joined with the flames
ascending from the edges toward the center joint. The workmanship and style
exhibits the individuality of approach similar to other great del Gesù violins
from his later period. The instrument is named for violinist Emile Sauret who
was said to prefer it to his Stradivari of 1684.
The "Sauret" is illustrated in the program booklet The Violin Masterpieces of
Guarneri del Gesù, An Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Commemorating
the 250th Anniversary of the Makers Death, Peter Biddulph (London 1994)
These pictures have been sent to me with permission to use them on my site
from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.