Pendant thumbnail 1
Pendant thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Pendant

ca. 1790 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This small egg was probably presented by Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia from 1762-1796, to a member of her court at Easter. Eggs have long been regarded as symbols of the Resurrection of Christ and as appropriate Easter presents. This egg is relatively modest and many would probably have been made like it.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold, diamonds set in silver
Brief description
Diamond-set pendant in the form of an egg suspended from a crown, Russia, about 1790
Physical description
Pendant in the form of an egg suspended from a Russian crown composed of diamonds set in silver. The egg is mounted with alternating vertical rows of gold beads and diamonds set in silver. The egg unscrews at its widest point to reveal the monogram of Catherine the Great set in diamonds on a blue glass ground.
Dimensions
  • Height: 3.9cm
  • Width: 1.5cm
  • Depth: 1.5cm
Credit line
Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Patricia V. Goldstein
Subject depicted
Summary
This small egg was probably presented by Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia from 1762-1796, to a member of her court at Easter. Eggs have long been regarded as symbols of the Resurrection of Christ and as appropriate Easter presents. This egg is relatively modest and many would probably have been made like it.
Other numbers
  • LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.211-2003 - Previous loan number
  • 167 - Goldstein Collection number
Collection
Accession number
M.156-2007

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Record createdApril 10, 2008
Record URL
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