Francois-Louis Pique

PIQUE, François-Louis Born 1758 Roret, Mirecourt, died 1822 Charenton-Saint-Maurice France. Apprenticed to E. Saunier in Mirecourt. Established in Paris from 1777 on the rue Coquillière. In rue Platrière 1778-9 before returning to the rue Coquillière, and moved finally to 52 rue de Grenelles Saint-Honoré. Retired to Charenton 1816. Highly important and influential maker, a guiding light of the post-revolutionary Paris school. Distinguished from the earlier ‘vieux Paris’ style by an academic application of Stradivari ideas and workmanship. Although born in the same year as Nicolas Lupot, is seen as the senior of the two in that he was established in Paris from an earlier date and commissioned work from Lupot from c.1792. Lupot himself settled in the capital 1796 and by the time of Pique’s retirement in 1816 was clearly the more prestigious maker. Pique’s own work is generally on the large scale, and a little clumsy compared to the best work of Lupot. Not so slavish in his adherence to Stradivari in the detail of his work; scrolls are well-proportioned but often quite distinctive, if not eccentric. Ebony purfling generally has an exaggerated mitre, sweeping across the corner. Functionally very good instruments. Materials and varnish usually very fine, with a preference for one-piece backs. Some have relatively coarse wood in the tops. The varnish can also vary from a rather dry dull red to a more luscious and oily orange-brown with a tendency to craquelure. Soundholes usually fairly straight and upright. Violas and cellos extremely rare. Manuscript labels: Pique rue grenelle N25 / fait à Paris 1777 Pique / rue Coquillière / vis-à-vis le Roulage / de France. à Paris, 1791 Pique rue de Grenelle / St. Honoré No 52 / à Paris, 1797 Pique Rue Coquillière / vis à vis L’hotel du / Roulage à Paris, 1789 Printed label: Pique, rue de Grenelle / St. Honoré, au coin de celle / des 2 Ecus, à Paris, 18..

b 1758, at Rorei, near Mirecourt ; d. 1822, Charenton-St.-Maurice. Was a pupil of Saunier. He went to Paris in 1777 or 1778 living first in ” rue Coquilliere au coin de la rue de Bouloy according to a label in a theorbo dated 1779, then, 1787-9 in the ” rue Platriere vis-a-vis de l’Hotel de Bullion,” according to a label in a sixteen-stringed mandore dated 1787; and finally at 36, rue de Grenelle-St -Honore, where he remained till he retired from business in 1816. He made some beautiful copies of Stradivari, the workmanship being of a very high order the scrolls and sound holes are well cut and the wood is of excellent quality.
Some instruments have the backs cut in one piece, and the proportions of the thicknesses are sometimes exaggerated ; he used a dark red oil varnish, rather opaque. In 1792 he applied to Nicolas Lupot, then still at Mirecourt for a certain number of unvarnishcd violins which he then varnished himself and sold with his label. His instruments vary from a moderate price to as much as £50. His violins are mentioned by Spohr (Methode de Violon) as being some of the best of the period.

Schüler von Saunier. Er kam um 1777 nach Paris und wohnte erst in der
Rue Coquillière, au coin de la rue du Bouloy« und zog 1778 in die Rue Platrière;
1790 wohnte er wieder Rue Coquilliere, diesmal aber «vis-a-vis le roulage de
France «, und von da verlegte er seine Werkstatt nach der Rue de Grenelle
St.-Honoré, und dort blieb er bis 1816, in welchem Jahre er sich auf sein
Besitzthum in Charenton St.-Maurice zurückzog; doch scheint sein Geschäft
noch eine Zeit lang weiterbestanden zu haben; wenigstens findet sich in der Sammlung Snoeck eine Geige mit seinem Zettel und der Jahreszahl 1830. Er war ein sehr feiner Copist von Stradivari und zeichnet sich durch musterhafte Arbeit aus. Das Holz ist sehr gut, die Schnecke zierlich, die F-Löcher schwungvoll und der Lack von schöner, rother oder rothbrauner Farbe, nur manchmal zu dick und nicht durchsichtig genug. Spohr stellt seine Geigen denen von Lupot fast gleich, was um so richtiger ist, als thatsachlich feststeht, dass Lupot für Pique Geigen gemacht hat, die dieser lackirte und mit seinen Zetteln versah. Er war Lieferant des Conservatoriums und hat ziemlich viel Geigen gemacht. Die besten erreichen Preise bis zu 2000 M. Eine Theorbe von 1779 besitzt das Pariser Conservatorium von ihm, eine Geige von 1806 Fürst Lobkowitz auf Schloss Roudnic.