Giovanni Francesco Pressenda was one of the very Turinese school violin makers of the former half of the 19th century, and his tremendous contribution to the development of the modern Italian violin making was unequivocal. He was born in Cuneo, Piemonte in Italy. With the basic skills of woodwork, he changed his career to start violin making at the relatively older age than the other historically famous violin makers. He established an atelier in Turin, one of the centers of musical culture in those days, where he founded his own style.
In Pressenda’s atelier, many apprentices and cooperators gathered, in which circle Giuseppe Rocca, Pierre Pacherel and other renowned makers were raised.
In such activities centered in his atelier, he founded the base of the Turinese school and the important stream of the modern Italian violin making. Instruments by Pressenda are as highly evaluated as Guadagnini and Rocca in the market of today, and their practical capability is outstanding. With powerful and rich sound, his violins are ranked as the following options after Stradivari and Guarneri by performers.
This violin, made in 1835,, has been preserved in the finest condition, with the original varnish almost untouched. Based on Stradivari’s model, its robust feeling outline and flatter arch are very characteristic. Impressing are the open feeling f-holes and the transparent feeling brown varnish. It’s gorgeous and powerful sound can reach far in a large hall, which has made the violin itself highly evaluated by soloists and chamber music players.