“Il Canon”, Paganini’s most famous violin reveals its secrets under X-ray

Considered priceless, it is today the centerpiece of the Genoa Museum from which it rarely leaves and under extremely high security.

It is one of the most famous violins in the world: “That Canon”, The favorite instrument of the great Italian composer Niccolo Paganini, this weekend underwent a high-tech medical examination at the Grenoble Synchrotron (ESRF) where it was scanned from every angle. “the dream” Or “Wonderful Experience”According to his protagonist, the purpose of the tests was to assess his defense status, but to better understand what makes him. “Extraordinary Instrument”, Especially by analyzing the composition of its wood.

The maestro’s property for nearly forty years which, after his death in his native Genoa, “cannon”, Hence the nickname for its power “voice”, Made in 1743 by Giuseppe Bartolomeo Guarneri del Gesu, a famous violin maker from Cremona.

A master piece

Considered priceless, it is today the centerpiece of the Genoa Museum from which it rarely leaves and under extremely high security. A few of the winners of the Pagani International Violin Competition, held every two years in Genoa, are allowed to play it. However, he came to take advantage of Grenoble “Non-Destructive Analysis” At the European Synchrotron (ESRF), the fourth-generation particle accelerator.

The technique, called X-ray micro-tomography, was tested beforehand on two other violins for safety. It offers the possibility to reconstruct a 3D image of the violin down to the level of the cellular structure of the wood, with the possibility to zoom anywhere locally down to the micrometric scale, the experts in charge of the project explained.

For the study, conducted at the request of Pagani’s competition management, the instrument was enclosed in a glass tube placed on the machine, itself enclosed in a large glass cage to maintain adequate temperature and humidity conditions, “our greatest fear”, members of the scientific team said. told

Includes analysis “A full scan at 30 microns to map potential defects, we found very few in the end”, After zooming in on even more important areas, scientist Paul Tafforeau indicated, head “BM18 Beamline”, The name of the large engine room where the experiment took place.

“The first objective is preservation. If ever certain defects need repair, we’ll have all the details. Working on this violin was kind of a dream.”

Paul Teforo, Scientist

to the AFP

Using a very small amount of the skull of Tomai, the oldest known representative of humanity or the extremely rare remains of the feathered dinosaur Archeopteryx.

“Another aspect is that it is an extraordinary instrument for its sound qualities and with this data, we hope to better understand why it has such sound quality.” he added.

“extreme caution”

“It’s moving, it’s an extraordinary experience,” Enjoyed the Consul General of Italy in Lyon Chiara Petracca, invited to the occasion. “This remarkable experience at the crossroads of science, music and history (…) opens up new possibilities for studying the preservation of ancient musical instruments,” noted Luigi Paolacini, who led the project at the ESRF.

“The logistics were very complicated because we are not a museum: museums are used to moving art objects”He stressed, noting that the means “Insurance of 30 million euros” It will take months to analyze the results of the violin’s scan in detail.

Whatever they are, Alberto Giordano, curator in Genoa of the precious instrument, recalls that it is crucial to display them. “Extreme Caution, Even Abandonment” With a violin to make sure it airs “Without altering future generations.” “I’m getting old, but it remains the same, it’s so good.” He jokes. “It’s like The Picture of Dorian Gray, it’s as fresh as a rose.”