interesting pictures

The French luthier, Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, built this monster around 1850. It is 3.48 meters high and required two musicians to play - one to bow and one to stop the strings through an elaborate system of lever and pedals. It still exists and can be seen in the Cité de la Musique just outside Paris. I'd love to hear it growl... 

A more modern take on this can be heard on a recording of a work by the composer Roscoe Mitchell.

(Click on the thumbnail to enlarge)

Here is a nice picture of a luthier at work. I have no idea who it is or when it was taken. Maybe somebody can help?