Blaise Fontannaz
Arc factor
Concise

« A damaged old bow cannot be repaired. We leave it as it is or we execute a faithful replica. »

Craftsman cabinetmaker in Concise, Blaise Fontannaz has been perpetuating traditional bow making since 1974, a craft that dates back to the Swiss archery abbeys of the 13th century.
Although he makes a point of recalling that his activity is above all a passion, his art is a matter of real expertise. In his workshop, he attaches great importance to knowing the types of wood suitable for making the different types of bow and how to work them. Based on the dendrochronology (dating) analysis of wood and other archaeological studies, he identifies with precision the ideal wood as well as the traditional techniques to be used to make a perfect replica.
His finished works, he presents them in various Swiss and international exhibitions.
Regularly collaborating with several museums, some of his works have a special place there, including the Holmegaard arch with two arrows dating from the Mesolithic era, exhibited at the Museum of Archeology and History in Lausanne.

« I am particularly keen to perpetuate the way of the arc. »

For more than thirty years in Switzerland, he has been teaching traditional archery and instinctive shooting.