History and Meaning of a Fabergé Egg

Post by sophie delage

Jul 01 2024

The History of Russian Imperial Fabergé Eggs.

You're probably familiar with the Fabergé egg . This work of art captures the collective imagination of art lovers, but do you know its history?

The Fabergé Egg "The perfect marriage of art and technology "

A Brief History of the Fabergé Egg.

It all began in 1842 in Saint Petersburg with the creation of the House of Fabergé by Peter Karl Fabergé 's father.

After training with some of Europe's greatest jewelers, which took him to all corners of Europe, Pierre Karl took over the reins of the family business in 1872. With this training and his hard work, the House of Fabergé quickly gained the attention of the greatest, led by Tsar Alexander III.

Meaning of the gold and enamel Fabergé eggs:
a gift like no other

It was at the request of Tsar Alexander III that Pierre-Karl Fabergé began creating these famous enamel and gold eggs in 1885 .

The Tsar wishes to give his wife Maria Fedorovna an Easter egg to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of their engagement.

It is believed that the Tsar got the idea from a decorated egg owned by his wife's aunt, an object that had fascinated Maria Feodorovna throughout her childhood.

What did this first Fabergé egg look like?

This egg is made of gold, its enameled white shell opens to reveal the matte gold yolk from which a hen emerges. Hence its name , hen's egg.

The golden hen also opens, containing a replica of the Imperial Crown diamonds from which a small ribbon with a ruby pendant was suspended. Both of these items are unfortunately missing.

The success of this exceptional object was immediate, the Empress was won over.

Alexander III therefore appointed Fabergé as a "goldsmith by special appointment of the court."

This egg is the first in a long series that will make the House of Fabergé famous, as the Tsar will order one every year.

Meaning of the gold and enamel Fabergé eggs:
a gift like no other

The chicken and the egg

The Golden Age of the Fabergé Egg

From 1885 to 1917, no fewer than 50 eggs of this type were created for Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II.

Each egg is unique and boasts ingenuity in its decoration.

Fabergé eggs are made from noble materials such as gold, precious stones and colored enamels.

The different themes and symbolism of Fabergé eggs

Fabergé eggs can be divided into two categories: those commissioned by Tsar Alexander III and those commissioned by his son, Nicholas II. The latter commissioned Fabergé eggs for both his wife and his mother, the Dowry Empress.

Whether for one or the other, the House of Fabergé produced eggs of unrivaled quality.

The jeweler drew inspiration from family events, nature and the lifestyle of these two families.

Diamond lattice

This is the "Diamond Lattice Egg," an art object given by Tsar Alexander III to his wife. It is covered with a diamond lattice. This egg opens to reveal a diamond elephant, which has unfortunately disappeared.

Today this collector's item is owned by a private collector and is kept at the Houston Science Museum.

The Egg of Alexander III on Horseback

This work dates from 1909 and was commissioned by Nicholas II for his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna.

This Fabergé egg depicts Tsar Alexander III on his mount. A small statue directly inspired by the "peacemaker tsar."

The equestrian statue is gilded and rests on a lapis lazuli base, the case is made of rock crystal and the upright is made of platinum decorated with double-headed eagles and diamond-encrusted grid.

Egg with bay leaves

This egg was also one of Nicholas II's gifts to his mother. Made in 1911, and like every Fabergé egg, this one contains something exceptional. A mechanical bird emerges from the top of the shrub.

The bird sings when one of the fruits of the tree is handled.

Red Cross Egg

This egg pays tribute to the commitment of the Empress mother of Nicholas II, as president of the Russian Red Cross during the First World War.

The interior of the shell contains five portraits of women in the habits of the Sisters of Mercy.

This is the daughter-in-law of the Empress of these two eldest daughters as well as two relatives.

Coronation Egg

Created in 1897 and then presented to Empress Maria Feodorovna in honor of her coronation, this Fabergé egg is exceptionally beautiful.

Made entirely of gold, the shell is covered with a translucent yellow-green enamel that refers to the color of the Empress's dress on the day of her coronation. The shell's latticework is composed of laurel leaves crossing each other in an imperial eagle.

The highlight of the show: when you open the shell, you discover a replica of the carriage that took the Tsarina to the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow.

This Fabergé egg is certainly the most accomplished.

Trans-Siberian Egg

This egg marks a very important event for Russia in the 1900s. An Easter gift, it celebrates the completion of construction of one section of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Its composition is remarkable.

The foldable train nestles inside the egg, which is entirely covered in velvet.

The train's headlights are ruby, while the windows that make up the carriages are rock crystal.

On one of these sides is traced the completed and future route of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

It is one of the rare Fabergé eggs to have never left Russia.

So what is a Fabergé egg?

How to recognize a Fabergé egg?

It should be noted that there are around fifty of them, each more magnificent than the last. One could use this definition : a piece of goldsmithing crafted under the direction of Russian jeweler Pierre Karl Fabergé for the Russian imperial family.

This collection consists of so-called Fabergé eggs.

In 1917 , with the Russian Revolution, the production of Fabergé eggs was stopped and Pierre Karl was forced to flee to Switzerland.

The collection will be confiscated, sold and dispersed throughout the world.

Today, most of the eggs are in museums in St. Petersburg, the Kremlin and Moscow.

Others have disappeared, further fueling the mystery and fascination surrounding these exceptional works of art.

Impact of Fabergé Eggs on Art and Culture

Even today, if you have the means, you can still acquire Fabergé eggs through auctions. The renowned auction house Christie's holds auctions of Fabergé eggs. In 2007 and 2017, the sale of eggs reached record sums.

This type of event arouses public curiosity and creates an imaginary world around these objects.
A fever is even gripping collectors hoping to find a forgotten Fabergé egg at a flea market.
The aesthetic impact is also undeniable, as the quality and refinement of the productions arouse the envy of copyists.

If you want to admire Fabergé eggs, you should head to the Fabergé Museum in Baden-Baden. The last known exhibit was in 2021.