Fall for Fabergé
The largest exhibition ever of the works of Peter Carl Fabergé, legendary goldsmith and jeweler to the last Russian czar, is on display at the Riverfront Arts Center in Wilmington, Delaware.
If you never thought a museum show could be romantic, wait until you see this one: Open through February 18, 2001, the vast display features some 1,100 glittering objects gathered from more than 30 private collectors and museums in eleven galleries.
To provide ticket-holders with a bit of history that puts Fabergé's work in context, the first stop in the show is a ten-minute multimedia presentation.
Visitors learn that the Frenchman was discovered by Czar Alexander and his wife in 1882. They bought one of his first creations shown in Moscow, a pair of gold cuff links. Three years later, Fabergé was commissioned to create an Imperial Easter Egg as a gift for the Czarina. The annual tradition of designing these intricate bijoux, which often held delightful surprises, lasted until the fall of the Romanov Dynasty.
The Cross of St. George Egg (right), which the Dowager Empress took with her upon fleeing Russia in 1918, is one of several in the exhibition. It features portraits of royal family members, along with miniature paintings of Czar Nicholas II's wedding and coronation.
Those who come hoping to see a vast collection of Imperial Easter Eggs may be disappointed, though. The greatest numbers remain in the Kremlin Armory Museum in Moscow and the Malcolm S. Forbes Galleries in New York.
What you will see is a scholarly yet accessible presentation of objects of great beauty coveted by the Continental cognoscenti and made in Fabergé's factories by some 500 craftsmen.
Enameled and jewel-encrusted boxes, picture frames, and smoking accessories; a menagerie of tiny animals carved from precious or semi-precious stones; religious art and iconography; practical and fantastical designs in silver; intricately designed and priceless brooches, necklaces, earrings; and other objets d'art are all beautifully mounted in well-lit, specially designed galleries.
The curators have also brought in works by Fabergé's contemporaries: Cartier, Boucheron, Lalique, and Tiffany are all represented. In some cases, the juxtaposition gives one an even greater appreciation of Fabergé's skill.
There's a fantasy element to it all, and a sadness as well. Talismans of a time gone by and a monarchy massacred, these precious tokens, such as the pavé-diamond tiara of myrtle leaves (left) are all that remain of a craftsman who put his name on 150,000 objects in his lifetime. Many larger pieces did not survive the Russian revolution. Silver was melted down for its base value, and one-of-a-kind items were broken apart for their gems by the Bolsheviks.
Tickets to the show are $14.50 each. Exhibition hours are 9 am -7 pm Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday). While the catalogue is a pricey $75, the extensive gift shop also features an affordable array of Fabergé-style egg pendants, authentic lacquered boxes from Russia, books, and other souvenirs that would make fine mementoes of a visit.
The exhibition was mounted by Broughton International with guidance from renowned Fabergé authority Archduke Dr. Geza von Hapsburg as Guest Curator. Click to visit the Official Exhibition Web Site
Fabergé links from About's Decorative Arts Guide
Weekend in Delaware
Why not combine a visit to the exhibition with a romantic weekend in the beautiful Brandywine River Valley? See:
Lodgings for Lovers and Other Attractions- discover romance packages for couples and the sexiest suite on the Eastern Seaboard.
Traveling by Train?
Take advantage of Amtrak's Fabergé package, which offers the lowest available rail fare to Wilmington. Mention fare code X-81N-966 to use the rate through 2/21/01. Call 800-872-7245 for reservations.
Fabergé images appear courtesy of Broughton International.
