The collection of manuscripts by the 19th-century Italian violin connoisseur is to be preserved for future study
A special exhibition of documents from the collection of Count Cozio di Salabue will take place at the Cremona City Library, Italy, from 6 November to 13 December. The event will showcase some of the manuscripts of the Count, regarded as the first great connoisseur of Italian violins, including several meticulous drawings and outlines of instruments, many from his extensive collection.
‘This exhibition is not only a celebration of historical documents, but an opportunity to explore the world of violin making through the eyes of a great collector,’ said luthier Luca Bastiani, who co-organised the exhibition with Raffaella Barbierato. ‘The notes written by the Count offer a unique insight into the work of some of the world’s most famous violin makers, such as Pietro Guarneri, Giuseppe Guarneri “del Gesù”, Nicolò Amati and Andrea Guarneri. The drawings we have selected for this occasion were made between 1803 and 1805, and represent the first systematic studies on classical instruments.’
Bastiani also said that the exhibition would see the launch of a conservation project to ensure that the archive of Cozio’s drawings could be preserved for future generations. ‘We will commission a paper restorer to build special boxes in which to preserve these precious documents,’ he said. ’I firmly believe that our responsibility is to protect and enhance this heritage.’
Ignazio Alessandro Cozio di Salabue (1755–1840) owned several violins by Stradivari including the 1716 ‘Messiah’, 1723 ‘Jules Falk’, 1723 ‘Paganini’, 1706 ‘Dragonetti’ and 1736 ‘Muntz’. He also owned the artefacts from Stradivari’s workshop, identifying the moulds used by the master maker with letters such as the ‘P’, ‘PG’ and ‘S’ forms – a system that is still used today.
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