Welcome to week 4 of Six Weeks of Stradivarius! Over the next weeks I shall be drawing six of my favourite violins made by the master himself, Antonio Stradivari.
Longuet, Maquis de St. Hilaire - 1692
For the fourth week of the six-week Stradivarius series, I'm introducing you to a lesser-known gem: the 'Longuet, Maquis de St. Hilaire,' crafted in 1692. As one of Stradivari's earlier instruments, it isn't widely recognized.The extended body sets it apart from the other Strads I've drawn, being one of the earlier instruments, yet it brings an element of elegance to the violin, in my view.
The Longuet was initially owned by Marquis Queux de Saint-Hilaire in 1878, and by 1890, it was acquired by the Musée de la Musique in Paris, where it has remained ever since. Over the years, the Parisian museum has housed numerous significant instruments, including those by Stainer, Amati, and Vuillaume, not just Stradivarius.
Although the drawing displayed a range of tonal qualities, it was completed in just under 5 hours. I paid particular attention to creating the different hues of the varnish, aiming to ensure that the center of the body appeared as dark and rich as it does in photographs.
Prints available here:
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