Nicolas François Vuillaume – Violin Maker (1802-1876)

Nicolas François Vuillaume

The younger brother of Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, luthier Nicolas François Vuillaume (1802-1876), received his early training under his father, Claude-François Vuillaume, in the family’s Mirecourt workshop. In 1824, Vuillaume traveled to Paris to work with his brother, and four years later, he established his own atelier in Brussels. There, Vuillaume enjoyed considerable success as a maker and dealer. He eventually became the Brussels Conservatory’s official luthier in 1836 and received a knighthood. Vuillaume’s workshop impacted Belgian violin-making for years to come, employing major makers like Hilare Darche and Jean Bapstite Collin-Mezin.

Vuillaume achieved a high level of craftsmanship, and he is best remembered for his detailed copies of the Cremonese masters, particularly Stradivari. Although his work was largely overshadowed by his brother’s, there seems to have been little envy between them. They maintained a strong personal and professional relationship, and Vuillaume often produced instruments for the Parisian workshop. Vuillaume’s instruments won medals in London (1831), Brussels (1835; 1841), Paris (1855), Dublin (1867), and Vienna (1873).