Take a look at Fabergé Easter eggs, extraordinary creations of beauty that continue to fascinate – Royal Central

The imperial coronation egg, one of the most famous and iconic of all Fabergé eggs [Photo: Miguel Hermoso Cuesta]

Probably best known for the exquisite Easter eggs he crafted for the Russian imperial house of Romanov, Peter Carl Fabergé was Russia’s leading goldsmith master in the early 20th century, as the House of Fabergé was founded in Saint Petersburg for his dad. Gustav Fabergé in 1842. Although Fabergé would go on to design spectacular ornate objects such as jewelery, flowers with rhinestones, enamel boxes and picture frames, walking sticks, watches and even a collection of animals, his Easter eggs are extraordinary creations of beauty that continue fascinate.

The Easter egg being an Easter symbol of the resurrection of Christ as well as a rebirth that enjoys considerable popularity in the West, as far as we know, the oldest known eggs to celebrate this feast were those of hen, decorated with dye. Easter eggs date back to the early Mesopotamian Christians and were later adopted by the Orthodox Church. Russian Orthodoxy views Easter as its most important Christian holiday, so it is clear that the egg in Russia would look even more special than anywhere else. Although modern tradition has come to accept the chocolate egg as the quintessential Easter gift, what Peter Carl Fabergé produced in Saint Petersburg has become for many a means of understanding something of imperial Russia itself, obtained through the study of the gifts that the imperial family exchanged. Many of the eggs Fabergé made were lost for years in the wake of the Russian Revolution, but fortunately enough now exist in private collections and museums to allow us to enjoy them publicly as their private owners once did. In 2014, the Third Imperial Easter Egg came to light due to an extraordinary circumstance. Purchased at a flea market, this egg, which was originally commissioned in 1887 by Tsar Alexander III for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna, was among the eggs that had not been traceable until then. Lost for years, it was one of the most exciting finds in the jewelry world in recent years.

But what was the origin of these jeweled eggs and what kind of occasions would constitute your order? The order for the first imperial egg came from Tsar Alexander III in 1885, who presented it to his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna. Outwardly much simpler than the opulent examples that the master goldsmith would later develop, it was thought to have been inspired by a Danish example owned by his Danish wife’s aunt Dagmar, as Marie Feodorovna, Princess Wilhelmine Marie of Denmark, was originally known. . . This first egg was simply called the chicken egg (with jewels). This egg was opened to reveal a golden yolk that in turn contained a hen, which also had a small crown inside. Empress Maria Feodorovna was fascinated by the gift and thus continued the time-honored tradition of exchanging eggs in Orthodox Russia, and through it another was born. And it was a tradition that would last for the next thirty-one years until 1916.

The penultimate egg made by Tsar Alexander III was the Caucasian Egg, with rose-cut diamonds, pearls, rock crystal, and enamel, as well as watercolors on ivory. The latter was typical of the type of designs that eggs had come to include at this time; Rich in personal meaning, they often commemorated anniversaries, births, and historical events. They did so through the watercolors that they included in their design, or through other symbolisms such as the already established ‘surprise’, which the egg usually contains when its mechanism is opened. The last of the eggs that Alexander III commissioned from Fabergé for his wife was the so-called Renaissance Egg in 1894, a year after his death. With the accession of Alexander III’s son, Tsar Nicholas II, the Paschal tradition continued with the reign’s first egg which was commissioned in 1895. Known as the rosebud egg, it opened to reveal a yellow, full rosebud. romantic significance for a couple who had married in November 1894, just seven days after the state funeral of Tsar Alexander III. As the First Egg once did, this opulent egg also contained a small imperial crown, a clear reference to the impending coronation of future Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Nicholas II in 1896. The coronation itself was commemorated by its own egg in 1897 , known as the Imperial Coronation Egg and contains its own miniature golden carriage.

It is true that at least fifty-four Imperial eggs were made, although this number may have reached fifty-seven. Notable collections containing examples of these exquisite eggs include the Royal Collection, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Kremlin Armory in Moscow, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia, the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. and the Hillwood Museum. in Washington DC

It’s nice to note that the Fabergé company continues to enchant the world with its collections, ranging from imperial-themed objects to luxury watches and jewelery. Given the history of the imperial egg, it is particularly nice to see that egg pendants and egg charms are listed among the above.