Russian Works of Art, Fabergé & Icons
Russian Works of Art, Fabergé & Icons
An Imperial presentation porcelain inkwell, Imperial Porcelain Factory, Petr Ivanov, St Petersburg, period of Nicholas I, 1836
Lot Closed
June 9, 02:38 PM GMT
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
An Imperial presentation porcelain inkwell, Imperial Porcelain Factory, Petr Ivanov, St Petersburg, period of Nicholas I, 1836
Shaped as an oval basket filled with flowers; the gilt body imitating basket weave and decorated with a band of hand moulded flowers, the moulded colourful flowers with gilt ceramic liners, marked on reverse with blue imperial cypher for Nicholas I
height 16cm, 6 1/4 in.; width 15cm, 5 3/4 in.
Gift to the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna for Easter in 1836
Empress Maria Feodorovna (1847–1928
Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna (1875–1960), and thence by descent to HH Princess Olga Andreevna Romanoff (b. 1950) until 2008
Important European private collection
This inkwell forms part of the Easter gifts delivered to the imperial family in spring 1836. During the reign of Emperor Nicholas I, gifts presented to the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna by the Imperial Manufactory for Christmas and Easter included several inkwells in different styles such as ‘seashell’, ‘house’, ‘with swans and garlands’, and ‘mill’. According to research of Natalia Petrova, one such gift was the present inkwell. It is described in The Registry of painted objects presented to the Emperor for Easter 1836 under the column ‘For Her Imperial Highness’ as an ‘inkwell made of flowers, with painted and gilded decoration’ to the value of 80 Roubles (Russian State Historical Archive or RGIA, folio 468, inventory 10, doc. 2, f. 74).
The technical mastery, the composition of porcelain paste, the abundance of flower decoration executed with a minuteness of detail, the expressive style and the richness of colours all testify to the outstanding skills of the master Petr Ivanov (circa 1780–1851). A hereditary porcelain artist, Ivanov studied at the Manufactory’s art school, but also learned from his father, who worked as a paste maker during the reign of Empress Catherine II. He was responsible for inventing new formulas of biscuit pastes and methods of making flowers, unsurpassed as to the fineness of their moulding. One of his most celebrated compositions, known as ‘Biscuit Flower Bouquet’ modelled on the surface of a table was presented to the Emperor for Christmas in 1850 and was intended for the World Exhibition of 1851 in London. However, due to its fragility, the masterpiece could not be safely transported and remained in the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory’s museum.