ticketsMember | Make a donation

Violin

Lars Jorgen Rudolf Olsen American, born Denmark
1915
Not on view
This "Stradivari model" violin was built by the Danish-born violin maker Lars Jorgen Rudolf Olsen in his shop on Third Avenue and 42nd Street in New York City. Olsen began learning the trade of violin making in 1904 with Emil Hjorth & Sønner in his native Denmark. AFter five years, he moved to Dresden where he studied with the violin maker Otto Möckel, moving to the Berlin branch of that same firm in 1912. After becoming certified as a master maker, he moved to Amsterdam for the summer of 1913 where he worked in the shop of Karel van der Meer while studying bow making with Max Möller. That fall he immigrated to New York City, where he established his own mid-town shop in 1914. He worked in the same location until 1957 when he relocated to Teaneck, New Jersey. Although trained as a master violin maker, Olsen produced few instruments, instead focusing on the repair of instruments. This is a fine example of his work.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Violin
  • Maker: Lars Jorgen Rudolf Olsen (American (born Denmark), Copenhagen 1889–1978 Teaneck, New Jersey)
  • Date: 1915
  • Geography: New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Maple and spruce
  • Classification: Chordophone-Lute-bowed-unfretted
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. John N. Lufbery and Shirley Sammis Foulds, 1978
  • Object Number: 1978.217a, b
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Atelier of Violin Maker
Lars Jorgen Rudolf Olsen
20th century
Mandolin, John Monteleone American, Bavarian spruce, red maple, Italian-American
Mandolin
John Monteleone
1996
Archtop Mandolin, James D'Aquisto American, Spruce, maple, ebony, celluloid, mother-of-pearl, American
Archtop Mandolin
James D'Aquisto
1971
Mandolin, Angelo Mannello American, born Italy, Spruce, maple, tortoiseshell, ivory, mother-of-pearl, metal, American
Mandolin
Angelo Mannello
1900
Archtop Guitar, John D'Angelico American, Spruce, maple, ebony, steel, celluloid, mother-of-pearl, American
Archtop Guitar
John D'Angelico
1932

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.