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Kremlin Tower Clock

1913

House of Fabergé

(Russian, 1842-1918)

maker

Russia, St. Petersburg, early 20th Century

Rhodonite, silver, enamel, emeralds, sapphires

Overall: 29 x 14.6 cm (11 7/16 x 5 3/4 in.)

The India Early Minshall Collection 1966.477

Location

211 Fabergé

Fun Fact

The Kremlin tower, which this clock resembles, has a secret well and an underground tunnel that leads to the Moscow River.

Description

This vibrantly decorated clock likely resembles the Taynitskaya Tower, the middle tower on the south side of the Kremlin. The House of Fabergé specifically created this work to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty. Additionally, this clock represents the ways in which Fabergé balanced the functionality of objects with intricate decorative design.

Artist biography

House of Fabergé

Peter Carl Faberge (1846-1922) took over the House of Faberge in 1870 from his father Carl Gustav Faberge who had founded the firm in 1842. Until 1881, the firm manufactured primarily jewelry for Saint Petersburg's aristocrats and wealthy elite. In 1885 the firm was awarded the coveted imperial warrant as goldsmith to the tsar and began to produce elaborate presentation Easter eggs as a gift for the tsarina from her husband every year. They also produced luxurious accessories, jewelry, and hardstone sculptures. At one point, Faberge employed over 300 workers including 22 workmasters who oversaw the production of the firm's jewelry and precious objects. A branch of the firm opened in Moscow in 1887, specializing in neo-Russian and pan-Slavic motifs in jewelry, silver, and enamel. Other branches followed in Kiev, London, and Odessa as well as new premises in Saint Petersburg. At the onset of the Russian Revolution, Peter Carl Faberge fled the country to Paris then Switzerland, where he died in 1922. His firm was nationalized by the Bolsheviks in 1918.

Provenance

said to have been made in 1913 for Czar Nicholas II to commemorate the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty; India E. Minshall, Cleveland, Ohio.

Exhibition history

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2/12/96-4/28/96); The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (5/25/96-7/28/96); Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (8/24/96-11/2/96); New Orleans Museum of Art (12/7/96-2/8/97); The Cleveland Museum of Art (3/9/97-5/11/97). "Fabergé in America," exh. cat. no. 76, p. 103; color repr. p. 103.

The Cleveland Museum of Art (10/19/2008 - 1/18/2009) and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (2/7/2009 - 5/31/2009): "Artistic Luxury: Fabergé Tiffany Lalique"

The India Early Minshall Collection: Faberge and his Contemporaries. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (March 15, 1967-January 21, 1968).

Year in Review: 1967. The Cleveland Museum of Art (November 29-December 31, 1967).

Fabergé in America. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (February 12-April 28, 1996); Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (organizer) (May 25-July 28, 1996); Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (August 24-November 2, 1996); New Orleans Museum of Art (December 7, 1996-February 8, 1997); The Cleveland Museum of Art (March 9-May 11, 1997).

Artistic Luxury: Fabergé Tiffany Lalique . The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (October 19, 2008-January 18, 2009); Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (February 7-May 31, 2009).

Cite this page

{{cite web|title=Kremlin Tower Clock|url=https://clevelandart.org/art/1966.477|author=House of Fabergé|year=1913|access-date=17 November 2019|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

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Kremlin Tower Clock

Kremlin Tower Clock

House of Fabergé

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House of Fabergé

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