Gegoux completed the carving and shipped the neck to J. B. Squier of Boston, Mass. The carving was done for the Paganini Guarnerius Violin, which was made to order for Theo Gegoux, jr. of Watertown, New York by J. Bonaparte Squier. This violin is numbered 452 - made at Boston, Mass in 1902.
This image of Paganini is now largely repudiated as fake.
Gegoux was the sculptor, and this carving is one of few known examples of this type of work.
This carving was based on one of the more notorious faked images of Paganini. When the Gegoux carving was created, this fake photograph was believed to be authentic.
The artist Gegoux's interest in Paganini is further demonstrated by his painting known as A Young Paganini catalogue #117, which was exhibited in Pittsburgh, PA at the First Annual Carnegie Art Exposition from November 5th, 1896 to January 1, 1897.
The painting was highly regarded but did not receive an award.
The whereabouts of the painting are unknown as of this writing, and no known photograph of the painting is in existence.
Boston Journal article, dated 1903, which describes the making of this violin.
For more information .. also see the Universal Dictionary of Violin & Bow Makers
J. Bonaparte Squier, 1838 - 1912
