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拍品專文
Exceedingly rare and important, the present model of a street painter is among the most distinguished of Fabergé’s hardstone figures. Only around sixty of them were produced, making the present example nearly as rare as the celebrated Fabergé Easter Eggs. Such figures were coveted by Fabergé’s most eminent clients, including Emperor Nicholas II, King Chulalongkorn of Siam, and Emanuel Nobel, who owned the present lot.
Produced between 1908 and 1916, these figures were meticulously crafted from the finest semiprecious stones, primarily sourced from the rich deposits of the Urals and Siberia. Franz Birbaum, Fabergé’s chief designer, described them as ‘the most remarkable stone creations’, singling out the street painter among the most successful models:
‘The most successful human figures were: a priest in a fur hat and fur coat, and a painter with a bucket and brushes on his back. The extremely comic effect is achieved by the successful rendering of the proportions of the body. The painter’s clothes, daubed with paint and lime, are of speckled Siberian lapis‑lazuli and Orskaia jasper. The models of these figures were made by the sculptor Fredman-Cluzel’ (quoted in Birbaum's Memoirs, in G. von Habsburg and M. Lopato, Fabergé: Imperial Jeweller, London, 1993, p. 459).
The present model of a street painter exemplifies one of the most imaginative and original of Fabergé’s hardstone creations. Its intricate details are portrayed with remarkable finesse: lapis-lazuli within the bucket evokes paint, while unpolished inclusions in the trousers suggest splashes of lime.
According to the recently discovered Fabergé's accounts book covering the period of 1909-1916, a comparable hardstone model of a street painter was purchased by Nicholas II in 1914 for 900 roubles (T. Fabergé, D. Krivoshey, V. Skurlov, The new data about activity of Fabergé firm. Fabergé's Bookkeeping Book, 1909-1916, Klio Magazine, №8 (104), St Petersburg, 2015, p. 188). It is possible that the example from the collection of Nicholas II, who amassed over twenty hardstone figures, was the one sold at Christie’s, New York, 24 October 2002, lot 119.
The present figure of the street painter dated '1916' was formerly owned by Emanuel Nobel and was sold at Christie's in 2003. The 1933 inventory of Emanuel Nobel’s estate, preserved in the Swedish archives, lists ‘10 Russian types, Ural stones’, providing compelling evidence that Emanuel Nobel had assembled a distinguished and substantial collection of hardstone figures in the folkloric genre, reflecting both his refined taste and discerning patronage of Fabergé (for more information about Emanuel Nobel, see lot 23).
Fabergé’s hardstone figures were largely inspired by William Carrick’s celebrated 'Russian Types' photographic series, which depicted street vendors and representatives of various social classes in the 19th-century Russian Empire.
A particularly striking parallel to the present figure can also be seen in a postcard by Evgeniy Sokolov depicting a street painter. Between 1904 and 1908, Sokolov produced a series of fifteen postcards, including a carpenter, a priest, a yardman, and a navvy, that closely echo Fabergé’s hardstone figures (see M. Ovchinnikov, On the Role of Prints in the Design of Fabergé's Works; Jewellery of the 19th / early 20th Century, St Petersburg, 2019, pp. 76-77). Many of them were acquired by Nicholas II. Another likely source of inspiration is an illustration from The Magic Lantern periodical (St Petersburg, 1817), which features a street painter very similar to the present figure.
The figure of a street painter is a remarkable example of Fabergé’s unmatched craftsmanship and inventive genius. Its exceptional rarity, distinguished provenance, and exquisite detailing make it one of the most notable works by Fabergé, representing a rare chance to acquire a unique masterpiece.
We are grateful to Dmitry Krivoshey for his assistance with the research of the present lot.
Produced between 1908 and 1916, these figures were meticulously crafted from the finest semiprecious stones, primarily sourced from the rich deposits of the Urals and Siberia. Franz Birbaum, Fabergé’s chief designer, described them as ‘the most remarkable stone creations’, singling out the street painter among the most successful models:
‘The most successful human figures were: a priest in a fur hat and fur coat, and a painter with a bucket and brushes on his back. The extremely comic effect is achieved by the successful rendering of the proportions of the body. The painter’s clothes, daubed with paint and lime, are of speckled Siberian lapis‑lazuli and Orskaia jasper. The models of these figures were made by the sculptor Fredman-Cluzel’ (quoted in Birbaum's Memoirs, in G. von Habsburg and M. Lopato, Fabergé: Imperial Jeweller, London, 1993, p. 459).
The present model of a street painter exemplifies one of the most imaginative and original of Fabergé’s hardstone creations. Its intricate details are portrayed with remarkable finesse: lapis-lazuli within the bucket evokes paint, while unpolished inclusions in the trousers suggest splashes of lime.
According to the recently discovered Fabergé's accounts book covering the period of 1909-1916, a comparable hardstone model of a street painter was purchased by Nicholas II in 1914 for 900 roubles (T. Fabergé, D. Krivoshey, V. Skurlov, The new data about activity of Fabergé firm. Fabergé's Bookkeeping Book, 1909-1916, Klio Magazine, №8 (104), St Petersburg, 2015, p. 188). It is possible that the example from the collection of Nicholas II, who amassed over twenty hardstone figures, was the one sold at Christie’s, New York, 24 October 2002, lot 119.
The present figure of the street painter dated '1916' was formerly owned by Emanuel Nobel and was sold at Christie's in 2003. The 1933 inventory of Emanuel Nobel’s estate, preserved in the Swedish archives, lists ‘10 Russian types, Ural stones’, providing compelling evidence that Emanuel Nobel had assembled a distinguished and substantial collection of hardstone figures in the folkloric genre, reflecting both his refined taste and discerning patronage of Fabergé (for more information about Emanuel Nobel, see lot 23).
Fabergé’s hardstone figures were largely inspired by William Carrick’s celebrated 'Russian Types' photographic series, which depicted street vendors and representatives of various social classes in the 19th-century Russian Empire.
A particularly striking parallel to the present figure can also be seen in a postcard by Evgeniy Sokolov depicting a street painter. Between 1904 and 1908, Sokolov produced a series of fifteen postcards, including a carpenter, a priest, a yardman, and a navvy, that closely echo Fabergé’s hardstone figures (see M. Ovchinnikov, On the Role of Prints in the Design of Fabergé's Works; Jewellery of the 19th / early 20th Century, St Petersburg, 2019, pp. 76-77). Many of them were acquired by Nicholas II. Another likely source of inspiration is an illustration from The Magic Lantern periodical (St Petersburg, 1817), which features a street painter very similar to the present figure.
The figure of a street painter is a remarkable example of Fabergé’s unmatched craftsmanship and inventive genius. Its exceptional rarity, distinguished provenance, and exquisite detailing make it one of the most notable works by Fabergé, representing a rare chance to acquire a unique masterpiece.
We are grateful to Dmitry Krivoshey for his assistance with the research of the present lot.