Louis Guersan

GUERSAN, Louis Born circa. 1713, d. after 1781 Paris France. Pupil and successor of Claude Pierray. Member of the corporation of luthiers from 1748 and made head in 1769. Workshop located in the rue Fossé-St-Germain des Prés. Appointed maker and repairer to the Dauphin and to the Opéra. Pattern usually of small dimensions, somewhat narrow, and of medium arching, but very well executed and finely finished. Others are of broader Tyrolian aspect. Very distinctive head with last turn of the volute extended up into a slightly bizarre comma-shaped eye. Fluting of front face also extends beyond the throat outside the pegbox. Fine materials, and pale golden-amber varnish. Many and various instruments, quintons, pardessus de viols, as well as violins, violas, and cellos recorded. Louis Guersan / près la commedie Françoise / A Paris 1738 Ludovicus Guersan / prope / Comoediam / Gallicam / Lutetiae / Anno / 1760 Ludovicus Guersan prope comediam / Gallicam. Anno 1737

Succeeded Claude Pierray. Ludovicus Guersan prope Comaediam Gallicam, Lutetiae, Anno 1766.

A maker in Paris about 1730-69; was living in rue de la Comedie-Francaise in 1760, and in rue des Fosses St.-Germain in 1769. Was one of a family whose members for more than a century had been violin makers; he himself was one of the best French makers of his period. Pupil and successor of Claude Pierray.
When he left the latter’s workshop he made various experiments in altering the arching, the thicknesses, &c., using spirit varnish on his instruments; the result, however, was not good, the tone produced being harsh and shrill. He was appointed maker to the Dauphin and to the Opera; in the archives of the latter is a quaint memorandum of repairs done by him to the double-bass of the Opera, which proves that at this date (1749) there was only one double-bass in the orchestra.
He made many instruments, and they fetch good prices. Made on a small pattern, the proportions, depth of the sides and thicknesses vary continually, especially in the violoncellos ; the alcoholic varnish is hard and dry, either a pale yellow or rose colour; its great drawback is that it dries too quickly and paralyses the vibrations, doing a great deal of harm to the tone; the work is beautifully finished.
A viola of middle size, with the back in two parts and a brownish-red varnish, is known. Several five-stringed viols of his are in the Collection of the Paris Conservatoire ; two are dated 1747 one 1751 and one 1755. Two six-stringed viols are dated 1755 and 1763. A treble-viol, in beautiful preservation, with pale yellow varnish, and of very careful workmanship, is dated 1752. A handsome violin is dated 1737, another 1744, and another 1766. Two violoncellos were dated 1740.
and ” Ludovicus Guersan, prope comcediam gallicam, Lutetiae, 1766.”

Er ist der Einzige aus seiner Familie, die mehrere Geigenmacher zählte, der
einen gewissen Ruhm erlangte. Erst Schüler von Cl. Pierray, wurde er später
auch dessen Nachfolger. Er war jedenfalls ein Meister von seltener Handgeschicklichkeit,
der alles zu machen verstand, was das Auge befriedigte, Cedernholz zu den Verzierungen verwandte, hübsche Schnecken und Köpfchen schnitzte;
nur in Bezug auf den Ton bleiben seine Arbeiten hinter allen Erwartungen
zurück. Diese Thatsache war ihm zweifellos selbst bekannt, denn er machte
zeitlebens Versuche, die Wölbung, das Stärkeverhältniss von Boden und Decke
zu ändern, ohne zu einem günstigeren Ergebniss zu kommen. Bis zu einem
gewissen Grade mag auch sein harter, trockener Lack, der leicht abspringt, den
Ton verschlechtert haben: — es war dies ein Spirituslack, dessen Einführung in
den französischen Geigenbau ihm geradezu zugeschrieben wird. Er fand im
Leben alle denkbare Anerkennung, war geschworener Zunftmeister für 1748
und zählte Hoch und Nieder zu seinen Kunden. Seine Arbeit wurde nachgeahmt,
so dass er auch als Haupt einer Schule gelten kann. Er wohnte erst
Rue de la Comédie Française und dann Rue des Fosses St. Germain. Arbeiten
von ihm besitzt das Museum des Pariser Conservatoriums, Snoeck eine Geige
von 1734 und eine Bratsche von 1752 (jetzt in Berlin), das Gothenburger Museum
ein Quinton von 1763, auch in anderen Museen ist er meist gut vertreten.