Description
The giving of miniatures had long been a common practice among wealthy and aristocratic families by the time Fabergé began combining portraits with his richly decorated frames. The Russian imperial family delighted in having these personal mementos and commissioned many different miniatures to place around their private apartments, providing a warm family atmosphere in an otherwise highly formal existence.
Provenance
Tsar Nicholas II [1868-1918] and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna [1872-1918], purchased from the maker, November 22, 1896 (by tsarina) and December 18, 1896 (by tsar), Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, Russia (1896-1918); Provisional Russian Government, Kremlin, Moscow (1918-1922); (The Schaffer Collection of Russian Imperial Art Treasures [A La Vieille Russie, Inc.], New York, NY), sold to India Early Minshall, 1948. (?-1948); India Early Minshall [1885-1965], Cleveland, OH, bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1948-1966); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1966-)
Accession Number
1966.458
Medium
jade, gold, rubies, gouache, ivory, glass
Dimensions
Overall: 15.3 x 5 x 5 cm (6 x 1 15/16 x 1 15/16 in.)
Classification
Portrait Miniature
Credit Line
The India Early Minshall Collection
