Lord Larehip

The theme of the bass is medieval (even though there were no double basses in medieval times). When my luthier went to France in late summer of last year, he sent me photos of his travels and one showed a type of cross carved on a wall from medieval times. I emailed him and said, “You realize you have to put that on my bass now!” He said he could. I originally wanted it carved into the back but he said that would compromise the wood’s integrity. He said he could inlay it but that would be very expensive. He then suggested as lady he knows who oil paints on instruments and he could have her do it then he’d varnish over it to make permanent. I said cool.

The cross is of a type called Occitan (pronounced “Oh-sǝ-tahn”). Occitania is a region of southern Europe that included the entire southern half of France but also other areas as Monaco. The Occitan cross was adopted as the official seal of Count Raymond V of Toulouse in 1165. There is a dialect called French Occitan which is very different from regular French and is still spoken and taught in French schools. I found that particular motif above on the internet. When my luthier showed my bass to another client, he too demanded the same motif be painted onto the back of a violin he is commissioning. Copycat.



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By the way, that's my bass instructor in the photos holding up the bass for me so I could take photos. These were taken at his house.