Saturday, December 7, 2019

Artist of the day, December 7: Peter Carl Fabergé, a Russian jeweler (#858)

Peter Carl Fabergé, also known as Karl Gustavovich Fabergé (1846 – 1920), was a Russian jeweler best known for the famous Fabergé eggs made in the style of genuine Easter eggs, but using precious metals and gemstones rather than more mundane materials. He was one of the sons of the founder of the famous jewelry legacy House of Fabergé.

Until he was 14 years old he went to the German St Anne School in Saint Petersburg, Russia. In 1860 his father retired from his jewelry business and moved with his family to Germany. He left the House of Fabergé in Saint Petersburg in the hands of his business partner. Carl Fabergé undertook a course at the Dresden Arts and Crafts School. In 1862 Agathon Fabergé, the Fabergés' second son, was born in Dresden, Germany, where he went to school as well.

In 1864, Peter Carl Fabergé embarked upon a Grand Tour of Europe. He received tuition from respected goldsmiths in Germany, France and England, attended a course at Schloss's Commercial College in Paris, and viewed the objects in the galleries of Europe's leading museums.

Upon the death of Hiskias Pendin in 1882, Carl Fabergé took sole responsibility for running the company. Carl was awarded the title Master Goldsmith, which permitted him to use his own hallmark in addition to that of the firm. In 1885 his brother Agathon Fabergé joined the firm and became Carl Faberge's main assistant in the designing of jewelry.

When Peter Carl took over the House, there was a move from producing jewelry in the then-fashionable French 18th-century style to becoming artist-jewelers. Fabergé's production of the very first so-called Fabergé egg, the Hen Egg, given as a gift from the Tsar to his wife Maria Fyodorovna on Orthodox Easter of 1885 so delighted her that the Emperor assigned Fabergé the title Goldsmith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown of that year. This meant that Fabergé now had full personal access to the important Hermitage Collection.

In light of the Empress' response to receiving one of Fabergé's eggs on Easter, the Tsar soon commissioned the company to make an Easter egg as a gift for her every year thereafter. The Tsar placed an order for another egg the following year. Beginning in 1887, the Tsar apparently gave Carl Fabergé complete freedom with regard to egg designs, which then became more and more elaborate. According to Fabergé Family tradition, not even the Tsar knew what form they would take— the only stipulation was that each one should be unique and each should contain a surprise.

Although today the House of Fabergé is famed for its Imperial Easter eggs, it made many more objects ranging from silver tableware to fine jewelry which was also of exceptional quality and beauty, and until its departure from Russia during the revolution, Fabergé's company became the largest jewelry business in the country. In addition to its Saint Petersburg headquarters, it had branches in Moscow, Odessa, Kiev, and London. It produced some 150,000 to 200,000 objects from 1882 until 1917.

In 1900, Fabergé's work represented Russia at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris. As Carl Fabergé was a member of the jury, the House of Fabergé exhibited hors concours. Nevertheless, the House was awarded a gold medal and the city's jewelers recognized Carl Fabergé as a maître. Additionally, France recognized Carl Fabergé with one of the most prestigious of French awards.

The following year upon the outbreak of the October Revolution, the business was taken over by a 'Committee of the Employees of the Company K Fabergé. In 1918 The House of Fabergé was seized by the Bolsheviks. In early October the stock was confiscated. The House of Fabergé was no more.

Peter Carl Fabergé never recovered from the shock of the Russian Revolution. He died in Switzerland in September 1920. His family believed he died of a broken heart. 

Carl never traveled with luggage—he bought all his requisites at his destination.


Mr. Peter Carl Fabergé

1885, The Hen Egg

1885–89, Resurrection

1891, Memory of Azov

1892, Diamond Trellis

1894, Renaissance

1895,  Egg-Stamp

1895, Blue Serpent Clock

1895, Rosebud

1896, Rock Crystal

1896, Twelve Monograms

1897, Imperial Coronation Egg

1898, Lilies of the Valley

1899, Bouquet of Lilies

1899, Pansy

1899-1908, the imperial warrant

1899–1903, Scandinavian

1899–1903, Spring Flowers

1900, Cockerel

1900, Trans-Siberian Railway

1901, Apple Blossom

1901, Basket of Flowers

1901, Gatchina Palace
1902, Empire Nephrite

1902, Rocaille

1903, Peter the Great
1904, Chanticleer
1907, Rose Trellis

1908, Alexander Palace

1909, Standart Yacht

1910, Alexander III Equestrian

1911, Bay Tree

1911, Fifteenth Anniversary

1912, Napoleonic

1912, Tsarevich

1914,  Nobel Ice
1914, Mosaic
1915, Red Cross with Triptych

1916, Order of St. George

1916, Steel Military

1917, Constellation (unfinished)

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