Viotti Stradivarius
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The Viotti Stradivarius of 1709 is a violin constructed by luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644-1737). It is one of only 700 known extant Stradivari instruments in the world today.
It originally belonged to the virtuoso Giovanni Battista Viotti who is said to have received it as a love token from Catherine the Great. Viotti is also thought to have commissioned the construction of at least one fake copy of this violin. The Viotti was purchased in 2005 for GB£3.5 million by the Royal Academy of Music. It is not surprising that this violin demanded such a high cost, as The Viotti considered in very good condition, free of signs of wear marked by many other instruments of this period. The violin's provenance has also contributed to its value.
As one of the greatest virtuoso violinists of his day, Viotti was very influential in the field of instrumental technique. His advocacy of Stradivarius violins was also key to the recognition of their maker as the foremost of all luthiers.
The Viotti violin was purchased by Marie Hall and used by her in the early 1900s.
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