Guarneri Del Gesù Cannon 1743 Bench Copy Violin CN1743

Il Cannone Guarnerius of 1743 is a violin created by the Italian luthier Giuseppe Bartolomeo Guarneri of Cremona (1698–1744).

Il Cannone is also known by the variants Il Cannone del Gesù, and the Cannon, often appended with Guarneri del Gesù, the Guarneri trademark. The violin received its name from a former owner, the Italian violin virtuoso Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840), because of its power and resonance. So associated is Paganini with Il Cannone that it is common for the violin to be referenced as Il Cannone, ex Paganini.

Paganini lost a valuable Antonio Amati violin as a result of his penchant for voracious gambling. He was later given a neglected Guarneri violin as a gift from an amateur violinist and businessman. Paganini played on this instrument for the rest of his life, fondly calling it "my cannon violin",  a name that refers to the explosive sound that he was able to produce. He bequeathed it to the city of Genoa, Italy upon his death, and it is now considered a national treasure.