In recognition of the exceptionally high level of the participants and their outstanding artistic performances, Nippon Violin has decided to provide an instrument from Stradivari’s celebrated Golden Period, the 1711 “Marquis de Rivière”, on a two-year loan to the First Prize Winner of the 17th Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition, supporting the winner at an important new stage of their international career.
The “Marquis de Rivière” Stradivari Violin, 1711
Made in Cremona in 1711 during Antonio Stradivari’s celebrated Golden Period, the “Marquis de Rivière” is a remarkable example of the master’s craftsmanship. Relatively little is known about its early history, although the violin bears an original label reading “Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 1711.”
The two-piece back is crafted from beautifully figured maple, displaying regular, lively flames of medium width that run almost horizontally. The ribs are made from similar maple, while the two-piece spruce top features fine grain at the centre, gradually widening towards the flanks.
Dendrochronological analyses of the top have revealed significant cross-matches with other instruments made by Stradivari around 1707 and 1709, including the “La Pucelle” and the “Viotti.”
The head is also crafted from maple and harmonizes beautifully with the body of the instrument. The varnish is characteristic of Stradivari’s Golden Period and closely resembles that of the 1709 “Viotti.”
The violin is known as the “Marquis de Rivière,” a name believed to derive from Charles François Rifardeau (1775–1828), a French military officer, diplomat, and politician who held the title.
In 1870, Gand recorded seeing the instrument in the possession of Monsieur Bourquelot of Provins. In his 1872 book, Les instruments des écoles italiennes, Jules Gallay noted that Bourquelot also owned another Stradivari, the “ex-Artôt,” possibly identifiable as the 1717 “Cessole.”
In 1902, Caressa & Français sold the “Marquis de Rivière” to Marcel Bret, a skilled amateur violinist from Paris.
In more recent times, the violin was played by British violinist Matthew Trusler.
In October 2018, the violin was exhibited at the TOKYO STRADIVARIUS FESTIVAL 2018, as part of the exhibition STRADIVARIUS ‘f’enomenon, held at the Mori Arts Center Gallery in Tokyo from 9 to 15 October. The exhibition brought together 21 instruments by Antonio Stradivari and was supervised by Nippon Violin.
The violin is now part of Nippon Violin’s collection.
It is worth noting that Doring, Henley, and Goodkind also documented a Stradivari violin bearing the name “Marquis de Rivière.” However, their descriptions refer to an instrument with a one-piece back, dating from around 1718, clearly distinguishing it from the violin described here.
