Francesco Gobetti

GOBETTI, Francesco Born 1675 Udine, died 1723 Venice Italy. Very fine and versatile maker. Recorded as a shoemaker in his first appearance in Venice around 1690. Lived in the same parish as Matteo Gofriller, and was probably a pupil of his, alongside Domenico Montagnana. Own labelled work appears from 1710 to 1722. Within this short working period produced some remarkable copies of Stradivari, amongst the first to appear anywhere, but also worked on Amatisé and Stainer models. Some of the late Stainer models appear rather coarse, with very full arching, but others show very refined workmanship, if a little exaggerated in the Stainer mannerisms, with rich golden-yellow varnish. This work bears some resemblance to that of Carlo Tononi, who was active in Venice from c.1715. The Stradivari types are extremely well-made, with only a slight tendency towards a pinched arch and slightly close-set soundholes, but the complex dark wine-red varnish is superb, laid over a typically Venetian vivid golden ground. In general the scrolls are very well carved, accurately concentric, and with a very even well-regulated chamfer; far more precise than those of most other Venetian makers. Franciscus Gobetti / fecit Venetiis, 1722

This is one of the little-known makers, a fact which may be attributed to the practice common some years ago of removing the original label of an instrument and substituting another, bearing a name more likely from its familiarity to command attention.

When we see Violins bearing the stamp of genius upon them, and reflecting much credit on the maker, the lovers of the instruments cannot but regret that the author should have been eclipsed, and deprived of his just praise. Had the name of Gobetti been permitted to associate itself with the instruments into which it was originally placed, they would have been as highly valued as any belonging to the Venetian school, with the single exception of Domenico Montagnana. The admirers of that finished maker, Santo Serafino, may perhaps dispute the justice of this observation ; but, having carefully weighed the merits of both Santo Serafino and Gobetti, I have no hesitation in awarding to the latter the foremost place. Gobetti’s style is superior, being more Cremonese than Venetian ; and further, his model is preferable.

Gobetti has been considered to have been a pupil of Antonio Stradivari, possibly with some reason, for his instruments bear a similarity to the early works of the great master. The instruments of this maker, like those of many others of his class, have passed for the works of Ruggeri, and sometimes of Amati. There is a slight likeness about the soundhole to the work of Francesco Ruggeri; but to the skilled in such matters, no feature interchangeable with Amati can be detected.

The workmanship has a uniformly neat execution; the scroll is the least successful part, being weak in character as compared with the body. The varnish is equal to any belonging to the Venetian school, and its beauty is second only to that of Cremona; its colour is generally a pale red, of considerable transparency. The wood is most handsome. These Venetians were not a little happy in selecting beautiful wood; in fact, it is scarcely possible to discover a single Venetian instrument the wood of which is plain. The tone of Gobetti’s works is round, without great power; but the quality is singularly sweet.

A maker at Venice about 1705. Said to have been a pupil of Antonio Stradivari; he used splendid wood, very beautiful red varnish, rather transparent, and made on a large flat pattern, with sound-holes similar to those of Ruggeri; the purfling is not very neat, and the scroll is rather weak in character; but the workmanship throughout is carefully finished and the tone is of a rich full quality.
A very beautiful violin was exhibited in Paris, 1878, with fine golden-red varnish, with label : ” Franciscus Gobetti, fecit Venetiis, 1715.” A similar label has been seen dated 1705. His instruments are much liked.

Nach seiner Arbeit gehört er zur Cremoneser Schule. Viele machen ihn
sogar zu einem persönlichen Schüler Stradivari’s. Er ist nächst Montagnano
und Serafino Santo der bedeutendste Venetianer Geigenmacher. Als seine
Arbeitszeit wird gewöhnlich der Zeitraum von 1690—1725 angegeben; ich halte
die Zahlen für ungenau, da mir Geigen mit einem vor dem 18. Jahrhundert
liegenden Datum von Gobetti nie vorgekommen sind; im Stifte St. Florian in
Oberösterreich befindet sich dagegen eine Violine von ihm, auf der die Jahreszahl 1761 zu lesen ist, — wenn die 6 nicht als 0 gelesen werden muss. — Seine Geigen, von breitem, flachgewölbtem Patron, erinnern an frühe Arbeiten Stradivari’s und halten zwischen dem Stradivari- und Amati- Modell die Mitte, doch wusste er dabei seinen
Violinen durchaus den Stempel seiner Eigenart aufzudrücken. Er verwandte sehr schönes Holz, war sorgfältig in der Arbeit, seine F-Löcher sind denen Ruggeri’s ähnlich, weniger gelungen ist ihm der Schwung der Schnecke. Sein Lack, der ursprünglich ganz roth gewesen sein muss, erscheint jetzt von klarer, blassrother Farbe. Eine besonders schöne Geige von ihm befand sich in der Sammlung Wilmotte in Antwerpen.