Étienne

Étienne Marie-Breton

Mirecourt (França) , 1827
Paris , 1895

Instrument Maker

Instrument maker

He learned the craft at the Collin de Mirecourt workshops. In 1850 he moved to Barcelona where he managed the workshop of Agustí Altimira for more than twenty years and contributed with French construction techniques. In 1874 he established his own workshop and developed his own style upon 18^th-century models of Italian violins, particularly those of the Neapolitan luthier Giovanni B. Gagliano.

Maire-Breton's instruments, highly valued today, are characterized by their finishes, varnish and a particularly clear sound. He tagged the manufactured reproductions with references to the original design, but instruments with his signature are scarce. He passed on his technique and craft to his son Étienne Maire i Clarà. In 1880 he moved to Paris with his family, where he retired.