Joseph Arthur Vigneron
Encyclopedia
Joseph Arthur Vigneron (b. Mirecourt, 1851; d Paris, 1905) was an important French Archetier
/ Bowmaker.
He served his apprenticeship with his stepfather Charles Claude Husson
in Mirecourt
, where he studied side by side with Joseph Alfred Lamy
père (father of the Lamy family of bow makers), who was less than a year older than he was. Vigneron worked with Husson until the latter's death in 1872, then he moved to the shop of Jean Joseph Martin
. He worked for Gand & Bernardel Frères from 1880.
By 1888 he opened his own workshop at 54 Rue de Cléry, Paris (not far away from his colleague Joseph Alfred Lamy père).
His bows were quite solid and followed his own individual style. He selected the finest wood and worked it with loving care. He worked quickly, with powerful execution.
"He made a bow a day, it is said (or more like a batch of 6 bows per week). Bows made by a man upon whom nature had bestowed a mind deeply sensitive of the beautiful, and highly cultivated by experience.'
Vigneron had a fairly even camber along the stick. The curve was not like Voirin's, behind the head, but more in the middle of the bow, closer to the grip. Vigneron also designed bows with a sort of rounded triangular cross section which added stability to the bow (lower centre of gravity).
These bows were designed in collaboration with the violinist Lucien Capet
(modele Lucien Capet was often stamped on such bows).
Very elegant sticks with a fine and strong sway, and splendid heads overall giving the bow a uniquely individual playability.
Vigneron's bow heads resemble the Voirin
school, and some have a feminine interpretation of a late period Pierre Simon
.
His bows are mostly silver mounted, with solid buttons and matching Parisian eyes.
He was succeeded by his son André ( 1881 - 1924 ) a prolific maker in his father's style.
While he cannot qualify as a consistently great maker, his best bows can be ranked with the finest of his day, showing elegant craftsmanship and made of superb quality pernambuco.
However, a large part of his output, while solidly made, lacks grace. Most of the bows are silver mounted; gold mountings are much less frequent and gold and tortoiseshell very rare.
The sticks are usually round and the heads have pronounced chamfers at the throat. Vuillaume-type frogs are occasionally seen but otherwise the frogs are regular with either rounded or square heels. His bows are branded a. vigneron à paris.
On J.A. Vigneron’s death, his shop was taken over by his son André Vigneron
(1881–1924).
"Many musicians are unconditional admirers of the production of this great master."
"Vigneron and Jules Fetique produced bows that at times could rival a Sartory in terms of strength and handling...." Stefan Hersh
"Vigneron's bows show elegant craftsmanship as well as superb quality pernambuco. His best bows can be ranked with the finest of his day." Gennady Filimonov
Archetier
A bow maker is a person who builds, repairs, and restores ancient or modern bows for instruments of the violin family. These include violins, violas, cellos, double basses, viola d'amore, viola da gamba, etc....
/ Bowmaker.
He served his apprenticeship with his stepfather Charles Claude Husson
Charles Claude Husson
Charles Claude Husson - in Mirecourt was an influential French Archetier / bow maker.Charles Claude HUSSON was the son of Charles Claude Nicolas HUSSON, a bowmaker/ Archetier....
in Mirecourt
Mirecourt
Mirecourt is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France. Mirecourt is known for lace-making and the manufacture of musical instruments, particularly those of the violin family...
, where he studied side by side with Joseph Alfred Lamy
Joseph Alfred Lamy
Joseph Alfred Lamy , was an important French archetier of the early twentieth century known as Lamy Père.He was born in Mirecourt, Vosges, France where he apprenticed from 1862-1868, and later worked from 1877 to 1885 for François Nicolas Voirin in Paris.He started his apprenticeship in 1862...
père (father of the Lamy family of bow makers), who was less than a year older than he was. Vigneron worked with Husson until the latter's death in 1872, then he moved to the shop of Jean Joseph Martin
Jean Joseph Martin
Jean Joseph Martin - was a French Archetier / Bowmaker.Served his apprenticeship with Nicolas Remy Maire.In 1858 left Mirecourt for Paris to join Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume's workshop...
. He worked for Gand & Bernardel Frères from 1880.
By 1888 he opened his own workshop at 54 Rue de Cléry, Paris (not far away from his colleague Joseph Alfred Lamy père).
His bows were quite solid and followed his own individual style. He selected the finest wood and worked it with loving care. He worked quickly, with powerful execution.
"He made a bow a day, it is said (or more like a batch of 6 bows per week). Bows made by a man upon whom nature had bestowed a mind deeply sensitive of the beautiful, and highly cultivated by experience.'
Vigneron had a fairly even camber along the stick. The curve was not like Voirin's, behind the head, but more in the middle of the bow, closer to the grip. Vigneron also designed bows with a sort of rounded triangular cross section which added stability to the bow (lower centre of gravity).
These bows were designed in collaboration with the violinist Lucien Capet
Lucien Capet
Lucien Louis Capet was a French violinist, pedagogue and composer.-Career:Capet came from the Paris proletariat. By the age of fifteen, he had to maintain himself by playing in bistros and cafes...
(modele Lucien Capet was often stamped on such bows).
Very elegant sticks with a fine and strong sway, and splendid heads overall giving the bow a uniquely individual playability.
Vigneron's bow heads resemble the Voirin
François Nicolas Voirin
François Nicolas Voirin was a French Archetier , known in his time as the "Modern Tourte."F.N. Voirin was born in Paris France, the brother of Joseph Voirin and cousin to Jean Baptiste Vuillaume...
school, and some have a feminine interpretation of a late period Pierre Simon
Pierre Simon
Pierre Simon , later known as Paul Simon, was a French archetier/bowmaker.Became one of the most important makers of his time. He worked in Paris for Peccatte, Vuillaume and Gand Frères. In 1847 he purchased Dominique Peccatte's business. His bows have 2 distinct head models, one his own and the...
.
His bows are mostly silver mounted, with solid buttons and matching Parisian eyes.
He was succeeded by his son André ( 1881 - 1924 ) a prolific maker in his father's style.
While he cannot qualify as a consistently great maker, his best bows can be ranked with the finest of his day, showing elegant craftsmanship and made of superb quality pernambuco.
However, a large part of his output, while solidly made, lacks grace. Most of the bows are silver mounted; gold mountings are much less frequent and gold and tortoiseshell very rare.
The sticks are usually round and the heads have pronounced chamfers at the throat. Vuillaume-type frogs are occasionally seen but otherwise the frogs are regular with either rounded or square heels. His bows are branded a. vigneron à paris.
On J.A. Vigneron’s death, his shop was taken over by his son André Vigneron
André Vigneron
André Vigneron b.1881 in Paris - d.1924 in Paris was a French Archetier / Bowmaker.André Vigneron learnt his craft with his father, Joseph Arthur Vigneron. He also worked in the workshop of Eugene Sartory. André succeeded his father in 1905.He used a personal model for the heads of his bows...
(1881–1924).
Quotes
"Few of the past French makers surpassed him in refinement.""Many musicians are unconditional admirers of the production of this great master."
"Vigneron and Jules Fetique produced bows that at times could rival a Sartory in terms of strength and handling...." Stefan Hersh
"Vigneron's bows show elegant craftsmanship as well as superb quality pernambuco. His best bows can be ranked with the finest of his day." Gennady Filimonov