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1709 ‘King Carlos IV’ Stradivari violin: A crown jewel

2023-06-22T09:20:00

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Florian Leonhard reveals the history behind the 1709 ‘King Carlos IV’ Stradivari violin

The ‘King Carlos IV’ violin, made in Cremona in 1709 by Antonio Stradivari, was part of one of the most important collections of musical instruments in the second half of the 18th century, that of Carlos IV, King of Spain (1748–1819). Its extraordinary level of preservation makes this instrument a rare specimen of the luthier’s mature production. On the following pages we will retrace its history, analyse it, and present images showing the fine details of the instrument. These include the interior and CT scans of this incredible violin, all of which will illustrate its uniqueness and importance in the history of Stradivari’s production…

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