Antonio Stradivari Part 4

Let us now turn to the other section, that over some of which there is excellent reason for disputation, over others none.

It will be readily acceded that Stradivari at no time during his career ever favoured any exaggeration of curve in the design of his sound holes, there was always present the indication of a desire for a fine balance of parts, in fact, his ideal seems always to have been that of increasing, if possible, the elegance of the Amati sound holes while adding to its substantial aspect.

In some of what we have called the second section we find a lively, fine and rich transparent varnish such as Carlo Bergonzi was particularly an adept at; on the same instrument will be sound holes, that a moment's consideration will remove any hesitation as to the design being other than Carlo Bergonzi. As this remarkable artist had several types of sound holes, and no one knows how many subtypes, at his finger ends, a little knowledge of his two most opposite ones will bring at once to mind that he must have had a hand in no inconsiderable portion of what is called Stradivari's late work, as here is found the inclining inwards of his sound holes with the smaller upper part and heavier lower end.

This will be found accompanied by the square looking upper part of the waist curve, the two things being alone almost sufficient to stamp the whole as being by Carlo Bergonzi, but here pedigree has stepped in and it was always called a Stradivari.

This is the one type of sound holes which has to be placed aside for a moment; the other type is of an opposite kind and very often to be seen accompanying the longer looking pattern of Carlo Bergonzi: it is free in design, having the upper and lower wings fully developed, that is, the straight cut of the wing is of full length, this individuality coming from Stradivari.

It is this portion of the details of the design that has led so many Students of the works of the Cremonese masters astray, they see the Stradivarian design, or we may call it peculiarity, and too hastily conclude as to its being the actual work of hand of the master. A little further consideration of the adjoining portions of the sound holes would bring to mind how little Stradivari was disposed towards any thinness of the opening out of the part leading from the wing to the nicks: if he had a tendency one way or the other, it would be towards more fulness, but his ideal being a beautiful equilibrium of all parts, this is clearly a point telling against the work as coming from his hand entirely. There is another part, too, that Stradivari seems to have most earnestly avoided, that of making the top portion of the sound hole design reach over towards the centre, somewhat after the tendency of Andrea Guarneri, this causes the lower part to seem turned up more suddenly, it is, however, only by contrast between the two parts that this is so. Carlo Bergonzi's sound holes are more sprightly and vertical, and with their more mature style should not be confused with those of the preceding maker. Here, then, are two distinct types of sound holes independently of those referred to of earlier periods, to be seen attached to violins that have perhaps through several generations of owners been attributed to Antonio Stradivari, and in consequence been sold again and again for large sums. Here is evidence of there being something in a name. Had these instruments been carefully and properly a.n.a.lysed, with a strict regard to the habit of the master in respect of intention in design and execution at early and later periods, the mistake would not have occurred. The conclusions rushed at seem to have been that there was the proper age of the instrument, the varnish was of fine Cremonese type, the pattern and sound holes thought to be "Straddy," therefore it must be a Stradivari.

On the other hand, there is no obtainable evidence that these violins did not issue in new condition from Stradivari's atelier; we have in previous pages considered the amount of help at his elbow, and that this would be more and more called into requisition is but a reasonable conjecture: that it was actually the case is helped by the fact of violins being extant in which the age of the master is stated on the ticket--presumably written by himself. Possibly he felt some degree of pride in having accomplished, at the patriarchal age of about ninety years, work generally a.s.sociated with the time and vigour of middle age.

The existence of these violins, there may have been several more made than are known, has much significance, for the fact of his age being inserted may be fairly taken as indirect evidence not to be lightly put aside, that they were by himself looked upon as an accomplished work quite out of his usual way. Had he been constantly putting forth instruments made by his own hands, there would not have been anything unusual about them, but these, with date and age marked, seem to be a declaration of the master--see--I have made a violin at the age here stated! In these there is present exactly what would be expected in such work--indication of insufficiency of the physical powers for carrying into execution the dictates of the mental. The intellect of this wonder of humanity appears to have remained unclouded to the last.

The other violins of about the same epoch, and going under the master's name, have a manner of work that ought to have been perceived as being also distinct. Mere hastiness or slovenliness of work is not identical with the effect of inability to achieve mechanical neatness. It is this slovenliness of handiwork which Carlo Bergonzi gave way to so frequently; he could, when in the humour, work beautifully; this, with his fine perception of elegance of line, was possibly the secret of his being admitted into the atelier of Stradivari and of his influence over the sons. There may have been other special particulars regarding him that helped in the matter of which there does not appear to be any record.

CHAPTER IX.

EVIDENCES IN STRADIVARI'S WORK OF OLD AGE--HIS DEATH AND BURIAL--WORK LEFT BY HIM--THE ADVANCE IN VALUE OF HIS WORK SINCE HIS DECEASE.

Returning to the a.n.a.lysis of the individuality of the mechanical work on the violins of the latest epoch of Stradivari, one or two further details are worth consideration. The size, style and tool work of the scroll have always been admitted to take up a large share in the estimation of evidence present for identification of authorship. In some of the late specimens of Stradivari we can see at once that the hand has become less firm, the bold turns seem to have lost much of their former vigorous expression, and although thick enough in edge are closer, and impress the connoisseur of the inability of the artificer to spend more time and attention than was absolutely necessary. The groove down the back to the sh.e.l.l is less refined than previously, besides being more heavily gouged at the termination. Almost in contrast with these parts there are seen on other "very late Strads" a neatly cut sh.e.l.l widening out a trifle and minus the thick edging; an examination of the turns of the scroll will reveal the fact of its having been gouged in quite a different manner, the declevity being more concave, the result of running the gouge along the course instead of towards the centre which was the manner of the Amatis. This hollowing out of the turns was so frequently done by Carlo Bergonzi that it might be called his most natural mode of treatment; we can here see what evidence there is of this maker's probable help in the work of his master. If we admit the possibility of these being entirely Antonio Stradivari's handiwork, then there were more phenomenal aspects of the master's working powers left for our consideration than he had hitherto given the slightest hint of during his extraordinarily long career.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CHURCH OF ST. DOMENICO.]

Taking therefore all the facts at our command in connection with the circ.u.mstances of the time, and the artist himself with his extended life, sifting these carefully we find the residue left is,--that his working powers gradually lessened in a perfectly natural way and that such entire work as left his hands during the last few, say six or seven years was, taken at the best, small in quant.i.ty; they came forth as from the last flickering embers of a decaying power whose influence, bequeathed to the world at large, was destined to increase indefinitely and whose secrets were left unrevealed, to be sought for earnestly, but in vain, by generation after generation.

Time, he with his hour gla.s.s, pa.s.sing by the home of Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, found him full of years and honour among his own little world of friends and acquaintances, for beyond the borders of his country his name could have been known to few, and those only recognising him as a clever and successful pract.i.tioner in perhaps their own craft; his world wide fame had as yet received but a slight impetus when it became known that no more of the unapproachable gems of art were to issue from the una.s.suming house in the square of S. Domenico, Cremona.

Antonio Stradivari died in his 94th year at Cremona on the 18th of December, 1737, and was buried in the chapel of the Rosary in the Church of San Domenico. This church was situated exactly opposite his house, where, standing at his door--as he must have done many a time--the tomb which was to be his final resting-place came directly on the line of vision in front of him, but within the third recess or chapel past the intervening wall. So far as our scanty knowledge goes, there were no circ.u.mstances connected with his death that called for any special notice at the time. Possibly little more was remarked by the neighbours than that the aged musical instrument maker of the Piazza di San Domenico had died, and his two sons were to carry on the business.

Perhaps none of them gave a thought to the immensely enhanced value of each of his works of art--or as they may have described them--the goods that he sold--that might be remaining two centuries forward.

He had lived to an almost patriarchal age, over ninety-three years. It is rare to find in the world's history a leading light among professors of science or art completing such a career of almost incessant labour both mental and physical. It is still more so to find the work of such a genius, large as was the quant.i.ty, increasing in value by "leaps and bounds" as time progressed after his decease. Most probably at the present day--supposing there to be extant as much as one-eighth of what he put forth--and that may be very much over the mark, the market value of what is recognised as his handiwork would still be a very long way above that of the whole of the work put forth throughout his life. It is on record that when he died there were ninety violins remaining unsold.

There may be several good reasons for this; among them the fact that Carlo Bergonzi and Joseph Guarneri were working in rivalry at the time, and bidding for public favour less on account of fine workmanship than force and magnificence of style and general aspect, and that public attention was to some extent diverted in their direction; further, and perhaps more cogent, the recognition of the great brilliancy and largeness of Joseph Guarneri's tone, that must have seemed to the musical cognoscenti of Cremona remarkably fresh and vigorous.

But when the master had departed it was not long before the loss was seen to be irreparable. His work was sought for, there being none other of the kind to supply its place; further and further as time advanced it was becoming more and more evident that his like was not to be hoped for, notwithstanding the favour with which the public viewed the two rivals who were destined to work for a comparatively short period. When these two at last disappeared, it was a signal for another rise in the monetary value of Stradivari's work, and which was to continue progressing indefinitely until such time when there may be signs of an approaching renaissance.

FOOTNOTE:

[A] Our ill.u.s.tration of this house is from a photo. It will be noticed that it has not an imposing exterior and not much indication of the more s.p.a.cious premises in the rear where the great master worked.