Mathias Menanteau

Roma Liuteria

Luthier

©Andrea Finocchi

Rigour and passion

Mathias studied instrument construction and restoration
He creates new instruments and restores old ones
His bottega in central Rome has become renowned

Mathias Menanteau’s professional and artistic career portrays a very linear and rigorous path, made of committment and passion. Born in a rural family in Western France, he learned his craft with some of the best masters around Europe, acquiring a wide range of techniques in both instrument construction and restoration. He familiarised himself with the masterpieces built by the great names like Stradivari and Guarnieri, and investigated the possibility to measure up to them today, in a craft where classical styles are paramount. Finally, he opened his Bottega in Rome - an international point of reference already in his field - where he daily faces the challenges of a craft requiring absolute precision and limited space for innovation and creativity.

Interview

©Andrea Finocchi

©Mathias Menanteau

Did you learn your craft from a master?: I started making instruments soon after I learnt to play the classic guitar. I then went to Newark Violin Making School. I got my certificate signed by Sir Yehudi Menuhin and Charles Beare and after that I perfected at Pilar Werkstatt in Berlin and with Eric Blot in Cremona.
Can you be creative in your craft?: In our craft, we must respect the classic styles. It’s not just a matter of beauty, but also of physics. But the answer is yes. Think about the introduction of the chinrest for the violin or the endpin for the cello.
What does well made mean to you?: There are several technical requirements that must be fulfilled: every component must vibrate together, the soundboard and the back must be tuned at a specific height, the instrument must be light but not too much, thin but not fragile.
Is there any room for innovation?: The violin is a Baroque instrument, and most of the attempts made to improve it in the past only served to pack museums with kitsch instruments. Nevertheless, I am convinced that it’s still possible to innovate and create instruments that can compete with the creations of the great old Masters.

Mathias Menanteau is a master artisan: he began his career in 2010 and he started teaching in 2010