1903 The Peter the Great Egg

Alexandra Feodorovna

Purchase price 9,760 rubles

From an entry in the “Inventory of items, belonging to Their Imperial Majesties and kept in their private quarters at the Winter Palace”: “Egg, chased gold in the style of L XV. The Egg’s décor in places embellished with rose-cut diamonds and rubies. On the lid, at the top, the initials N II and A under a crown of rose-cut diamonds. A wreath of green and red enamel, interwoven with a band of white enamel, encircles the initials. Four medallions are set into the body of the Egg: portraits of the Emperors Nicholas II and Peter the Great, and views of the Winter Palace and Peter the Great’s cabin. The miniatures are painted in watercolor. The bottom of the Egg features an eagle in black enamel, inset with a portrait diamond and with two rose-cut diamonds in its crown. The Egg bears the following inscriptions: Emperor Nicholas II, born 1868, acceded to the throne in 1894. Emperor Peter the Great, born 1672, founded St. Petersburg in 1703. The years 1703 and 1903 are laid out in rose-cut diamonds between the inscriptions. Additional inscriptions are found on the lower part of the Egg: The first cabin of Emperor Peter the Great 1703 and The Winter Palace of his Imperial Majesty in 1903. The underside of the Egg’s lid is enameled in yellow: beneath it, on a plate of gold, stands a replica of the monument to Peter the Great. The platform on which the monument stands, as well as the grille, columns, bollards and chains are made of gold; the rock is of black stone; the figure of the Emperor and his horse are made of chased gold. The rock bears the inscription, To Peter I, from Catherine II, summer 1782 — Petrus Primo. Catharina Secundo. MDCCLXXXII. The Egg has a stand made of wire, red in color, silver, gilded.”

In the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA.

https://www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-98307438/