Antonio Stradivari, his life and work (1644-1737) . pon certain doubts which hadarisen in our minds as to this portrait really representingStradivari. In replying to us, Signor Stradivari stated thatthe photograph was a faithful copy taken from the originalpainting, which had always been accepted by his family asundoubtedly a portrait of his ancestor ; and, as furtherproof of the correctness of his belief, he sent us a small 294 SUPPOSED PORTRAIT OF STRADIVARI 295 bank-note of the face value of fifty centesimi issued by a Cremonese Bank in 1870, on which the said portrait was reproduced (fig.
Antonio Stradivari, his life and work (1644-1737) . pon certain doubts which hadarisen in our minds as to this portrait really representingStradivari. In replying to us, Signor Stradivari stated thatthe photograph was a faithful copy taken from the originalpainting, which had always been accepted by his family asundoubtedly a portrait of his ancestor ; and, as furtherproof of the correctness of his belief, he sent us a small 294 SUPPOSED PORTRAIT OF STRADIVARI 295 bank-note of the face value of fifty centesimi issued by a Cremonese Bank in 1870, on which the said portrait was reproduced (fig. ^j). So far, then, we had gathered the family jhistory of the portrait ; but these mere assertions of Signor Stradivari could not settle the authenticity of the portrait. The question again rested for some years. Nobody in Paris knew what had become of the original oil painting, nor could the descendants of Vuillaume give us any assist- jance, until we submitted the photograph to the surviving daughter of J. B. Vuillaume, an elderly lady who lives. Fig. 67, retired in the country. She immediately recognised it astaken from a painting in her possession. Not attachingparticular value to it, to our great satisfaction she mostwillingly consented to our becoming its owners. We are indebted to Lady Huggins for the followingdiscussion of the portrait:— It was extremely natural there should have been doubtsas to what personage is represented in this picture. Every-thing about the portrait not only points to a dateconsiderably earher than the time of Antonio Stradivari,but to an original who was a musician. In short, it 296 SUPPOSED PORTRAIT OF STRADIVARI seems absurd to suppose the portrait could representStradivari. The reproduction gives a good idea of this most interestingpicture in everything except the colouring. This has beeninjured by unwise cleaning, and some very valuable detailshave unfortunately been quite obliterated. The costume of the figure is that which was in use amo
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Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondonmacmillanand
