An intriguing and early large format lithograph portrait of the important Norwegian violinist and composer, inscribed later in ink by his son to Victor Thrane, "Til Erindring / om 12te Marts / 1900! / fra Haus.../ Alexander Bull" ["In remembrance of March 12th 1900! from ...House [?]"], also identifying in ink the famous "Ole Bull" Gaspar da Salo violin which is depicted lower right. Though the print is undated, the National Library of Norway dates their example of this portrait to 1846. Scattered foxing and abrasions throughout, some small holes in the left margin, small tears to the edges. 12.5 x 18 inches; 31.8 x 46 cm.
Alexander Bull (born Alexander Ole Felix Étienne Bull) was the el dest surviving son of the famous Norwegian concert violinist and his first wife, Alexandrine Félicité Villeminot. He toured with his father and later worked as an agronomist and occasionally contributed to musical publications like Nordisk musik-tidende.
The recipient of this portrait was Victor Thrane (1871 - 1936), who according to his NY Times obituary, was "a music impresario and noted art patron [and] a member of James D. Lacey & Co., the oldest concern of timber experts in the United States... He was a grandson of Marcus Thrane, founder of the labor movement in Norway, and a nephew of Waldemar Thrane, composer of the "Echo Song." Mr. Thrane introduced Ellen Beach Yaw to the opera world prior to 1900. Other artists under his management were Eugene Ysaye, Mark Hambourg and Elsa Ruegger. He was widely known for his art collections and library of first editions."
The celebrated violin is believed to have been built by da Salo ca, 1620 and sculpted by Cellini. On the scroll is carved a cherub's face surrounded by flowing curls and colored. Behind this figure, leaning against the shoulders, is an exquisitely beautiful little mermaid, the human form of which terminates in scales of green and gold. The neck of the violin is ornamented with arabesques in blue, red, and gold. On the tail-piece is a carved mermaid in bronze color. It was left Ole Bull to the Vestlandske Kunstindustri Museum in Bergen with very strict instructions about its care, making it virtually impossible to photograph the instrument.
An intriguing and early large format lithograph portrait of the important Norwegian violinist and composer, inscribed later in ink by his son to Victor Thrane, "Til Erindring / om 12te Marts / 1900! / fra Haus.../ Alexander Bull" ["In remembrance of March 12th 1900! from ...House [?]"], also identifying in ink the famous "Ole Bull" Gaspar da Salo violin which is depicted lower right. Though the print is undated, the National Library of Norway dates their example of this portrait to 1846. Scattered foxing and abrasions throughout, some small holes in the left margin, small tears to the edges. 12.5 x 18 inches; 31.8 x 46 cm.
Alexander Bull (born Alexander Ole Felix Étienne Bull) was the el dest surviving son of the famous Norwegian concert violinist and his first wife, Alexandrine Félicité Villeminot. He toured with his father and later worked as an agronomist and occasionally contributed to musical publications like Nordisk musik-tidende.
The recipient of this portrait was Victor Thrane (1871 - 1936), who according to his NY Times obituary, was "a music impresario and noted art patron [and] a member of James D. Lacey & Co., the oldest concern of timber experts in the United States... He was a grandson of Marcus Thrane, founder of the labor movement in Norway, and a nephew of Waldemar Thrane, composer of the "Echo Song." Mr. Thrane introduced Ellen Beach Yaw to the opera world prior to 1900. Other artists under his management were Eugene Ysaye, Mark Hambourg and Elsa Ruegger. He was widely known for his art collections and library of first editions."
The celebrated violin is believed to have been built by da Salo ca, 1620 and sculpted by Cellini. On the scroll is carved a cherub's face surrounded by flowing curls and colored. Behind this figure, leaning against the shoulders, is an exquisitely beautiful little mermaid, the human form of which terminates in scales of green and gold. The neck of the violin is ornamented with arabesques in blue, red, and gold. On the tail-piece is a carved mermaid in bronze color. It was left Ole Bull to the Vestlandske Kunstindustri Museum in Bergen with very strict instructions about its care, making it virtually impossible to photograph the instrument.