Birdcage Clock. Gilded bronze, enamels and porcelain. San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Royal Palace, National HeritageKing Charles IV of Spain (1748-1819) was considered an important collector of the finer things of life – paintings, drawings, engravings, sculptures, books, coins and musical instruments. More than 80 works from his collection are featured in an exhibition, Royal Splendor in the Enlightenment: Charles IV of Spain, Patron and Collector, through July 18 at the Meadows Museum. In addition, two complementary exhibits focus on related aspects of world history and the work of the era’s court painters: Contours of Empire: The World of Charles IV, featuring items from SMU’s DeGolyer Library, and Goya and López: Court Painters for Charles IV, displaying works from the Meadows’ collection.