Existing comment:
Case 17. Discovering Old-Russian Style:
Old-Russian style, part of the Slavic revival that swept northern Europe in the late 19th century, relied upon colorful, boisterous, often narrative themes drawn from the medieval past. Such themes were popular with the rising merchant class, which was more conscious of its Slavic origins than the Russian aristocracy, whose eyes had been turned toward western Europe since the rule of Catherine the Great.
Given the popularity of Old-Russian-style works, numerous designers besides Faberge -- at that time the largest jewelry firm in Russia -- found ready customers for their wares. Significant Moscow designers represented in this case and the next include Fedor Ruckert (active 1887-1917), an artist who regularly supplied the Faberge firm with Old-Russian-style enamels; and Pavel Ovchinnikov (1830-1888), whose rival firm carried on from 1853 until 1917, nearly thirty years after the founder's death. A festive kovsh by Maria Semenova reminds us that some of the most talented artisans in prerevolutionary Russia were women.
A lobed plate recalls ceramic forms used during the Italian Renaissance. The earliest Russian enamels were actually made in the late 16th century. They imitated porcelains that were still far too expensive for most clients. |