Beaker
1892 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The beaker was made by the large firm Pavel Akimovich Ovchinikov, founded in 1853, which became the most important goldsmiths in Russia after Fabergé. By 1873 it had 173 employees and set up its own school for training young craftsmen. It was the first to specialise in making objects in the Russian style and focused on enamel wares becoming the leading producer in Moscow of this type of cloisonné enamel. These enamel products were very popular with the conservative middle and merchant classes from the mid nineteenth century until the revolution in 1917. They all follow the same formula of geometrically arranged foliage in brilliant opaque colours.
Cloisonné decoration used enamel on a metal base. The design is outlined by metal fillets (cloisons) secured to the metal and the enclosed spaces are filled with coloured enamels which are then fired.
Cloisonné decoration used enamel on a metal base. The design is outlined by metal fillets (cloisons) secured to the metal and the enclosed spaces are filled with coloured enamels which are then fired.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver gilt and cloisonné enamel |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt beaker, cloisonné enamel, Russia, Moscow, 1892, mark of Pavel Ovchinikov |
| Physical description | Beaker with slightly tapered cylindrical body on a flared foot. Decorated overall with enamelled bands of geometric patterns in vivid colours, the widest band, covering much of the body, decorated with four large roundels containing stylised displayed eagles. These are separated by small roundels with sexfoils and rest on a roundel containing a stylised flower. The background bears scrolls and foliate patterns. The foot and rim decorated with twisted wire. The interior plain, apart from the inscription. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mrs Diana King |
| Object history | Given by Mrs. Diana King Historical significance: Russian Cloisonne Enamel This type of cloisonne enamel became highly popular with the conservative merchant and middle classes during the second half of the 19th century until the Revolution in 1917. The firms producing it, of which Ovchinikoff was the leading practitioner, were mainly based in Moscow. They all follow the same formula of geometrically arranged foliage in brilliant opaque colours. |
| Historical context | The goldsmiths' firm. Pavel Akimovitch Ovchinnikov was founded in 1853 and became the most important in Russia after Faberge. It had 173 employees in 1873, and set up a school in Moscow for training young craftsmen. It was the first business to devote itself entirely to making objects in Russian national style, specialising in enamelled wares of all kinds. The firm won prizes at a number of exhibitions including Chicago in 1893 and Paris in 1900. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The beaker was made by the large firm Pavel Akimovich Ovchinikov, founded in 1853, which became the most important goldsmiths in Russia after Fabergé. By 1873 it had 173 employees and set up its own school for training young craftsmen. It was the first to specialise in making objects in the Russian style and focused on enamel wares becoming the leading producer in Moscow of this type of cloisonné enamel. These enamel products were very popular with the conservative middle and merchant classes from the mid nineteenth century until the revolution in 1917. They all follow the same formula of geometrically arranged foliage in brilliant opaque colours. Cloisonné decoration used enamel on a metal base. The design is outlined by metal fillets (cloisons) secured to the metal and the enclosed spaces are filled with coloured enamels which are then fired. |
| Bibliographic reference | A. von Solodkoff. Russian Gold and Silver London, 1981 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.6-1996 |
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| Record created | March 3, 2004 |
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