THE OUCHARDS AND THE GRAIL QUESTThe first part of the century in which we are going to enter with our story was, as we all know, devastated by those two follies called First and Second World War. In addition to create millions of victims, they swept away a big part of what was the induced production of old Europe. The bow making was no exception, many workshops closed, and those who succeeded in, sought refuge overseas. After 1945, there was almost nothing left of the glorious French school, we have to thank the true seekers of the Grail, the Ouchards, for its rebirth.
Violin bow by Emile Francois Ouchard This family is among the most long-lived one of French bowmaking , remaining active for more than a century, the Ouchards, especially Emile Auguste, certainly have the merit, to have built and left many good bows. But the greatest merit to be recognized to this family, and especially to Bernard, is to have given back to the French bowmaking its own memory. Bernard Ouchard was the first one to start a research and study job on the old school, especially on curves. And it is is him who in the late '50s, leaves Vidoudez' workshop , and returns to teaching and spreading his research in the newly re-founded bow school at Mirecourt. The family's history began long ago, with a man of little talent but very hard worker, and too rigid even with his loved ones, the founder is Emile Francois. Son of Adèle Ouchard, Emile Francois, aka Ouchard "Père", was born in Mirecourt on April 30, 1872. At only 14 years, in 1886, he is hired by the Maison Cuniot-Hury, to undertake his apprenticeship. Gifted with a good manual skill, he soon becomes Eugene Cuniot's right hand , and when he dies in 1910, he was asked by the widow to take the lead of the workshop. On January 9, 1896 he marries Marie-Joséphine Collin, and the couple gives birth to ten children, nine females and one only male; Emile Auguste, who will become a bowmaker as well and will surpass his father in his job. From this moment, although he will continue to brand some bows as "Cuniot-Hury," most of them will be stamped with his own brand, "Emile Ouchard". In 1936, his workshop counts fifteen workers including his son, who seems to have already outclassed his father and colleagues. The relationship between them gets difficult ; wages are all the same, although Emile Auguste is the most clever and partly manages the workshop. The relation quickly come to a breakage. In 1937 Emile Auguste asks his father to retire and give him the business, of course, Emile Francois refuses , and the son moves permanently to Paris. The father remains at Mirecourt continuing with some workers.
Cello bow by Emile Francois Ouchard If Emile Francois was not a big bowmaker, he was, however, an excellent teacher. Many esteemed craftsmen , including his son first of all , were introduced to the work by Him. Among others: Paul Audinot, Brugère Louis, Paul Barjonnet and his sons, Francois Lotte, Raimond and André Richaume, Marcel Mangenot, worked for him as well. Emile Francois' bows are excellent, especially the ones he made in collaboration with his son. A small part of his production is marked with his own name, but many of his bows are signed with the names of the "Maisons" that ordered them to him. The stylistic and mechanic follow the lines of the last period of the Mirecourt school and change as per the models required by customers. We can also found some of his bows stamped "Strellini" At the end of his career a worker and an apprentice work for Him. He dies in his Mirecourt, from which he never departed, on February 27, 1951. Next time we will speak about his son ; Emile Auguste So long Paolo
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