拍品专文
Andrei Ivanovich Chernov was a miniature painter at the Imperial Porcelain Factory from 1750. He worked until about 1781. For another example of his signature with interlaced intials dated 1768, cf. Baron N. Wrangell, 'La Miniature en Russie', Starye Gody, (1909) vol.X, p.512.
The gold mounts of the box, although unmarked, can be attributed ot Jean Pierre Ador. For another box with mounts by Ador cf. A.K. Snowman, Eighteenth Century Gold Boxes (London, 1990) pl.769, and for a gold vase with blue enamel decoration, dated 1768, cf. A.v.Solodkoff, Russian Gold and Silver (London, 1981), pl.132.
The second of three brothers serving in the army, Grigorii Orlov (1734-1796) became the favorite of Catherine the Great in late 1760 or early 1761, when she was still the wife of the heir to the Russian throne, Peter. During the difficult months of her husband's reign it was Grigorii who supported Cathering, and on 28th June 1762 played a leading role in the coup d'etat that deposed Peter, with the help of his brothers and other officers in the prestigious Preobrazhenskii and Semenovskii regiments. For this Grigorii Orlov was awarded teh Order of St. Andrew, elevated to Chamberlain with the rank of Major General, as well as Count.
During her husband's reign Catherine gave birth to Orlov's son, Aleksei Grigor'evich, who was smuggled out of the palace wrapped in a bundle of furs, and was consequently given the surname Bobrinskoi. During her liaison with Orlov she is purported to have borne him four children, although history does not relate the details with certainty. It is know that Catherine wished to marry Grigorii, but was dissuaded by the fact that it was Grigorii's brother who had murdered her husband following the coup.
Catherine's love for him and her gratitude extended to gifts of money, property and works of art, including the 300-piece Orlov Service, commissioned from the Imperial Porcelain Factory and designed by G. Kozlov.
The gold mounts of the box, although unmarked, can be attributed ot Jean Pierre Ador. For another box with mounts by Ador cf. A.K. Snowman, Eighteenth Century Gold Boxes (London, 1990) pl.769, and for a gold vase with blue enamel decoration, dated 1768, cf. A.v.Solodkoff, Russian Gold and Silver (London, 1981), pl.132.
The second of three brothers serving in the army, Grigorii Orlov (1734-1796) became the favorite of Catherine the Great in late 1760 or early 1761, when she was still the wife of the heir to the Russian throne, Peter. During the difficult months of her husband's reign it was Grigorii who supported Cathering, and on 28th June 1762 played a leading role in the coup d'etat that deposed Peter, with the help of his brothers and other officers in the prestigious Preobrazhenskii and Semenovskii regiments. For this Grigorii Orlov was awarded teh Order of St. Andrew, elevated to Chamberlain with the rank of Major General, as well as Count.
During her husband's reign Catherine gave birth to Orlov's son, Aleksei Grigor'evich, who was smuggled out of the palace wrapped in a bundle of furs, and was consequently given the surname Bobrinskoi. During her liaison with Orlov she is purported to have borne him four children, although history does not relate the details with certainty. It is know that Catherine wished to marry Grigorii, but was dissuaded by the fact that it was Grigorii's brother who had murdered her husband following the coup.
Catherine's love for him and her gratitude extended to gifts of money, property and works of art, including the 300-piece Orlov Service, commissioned from the Imperial Porcelain Factory and designed by G. Kozlov.