Tribute to Fête Galante

Necessaire
England, circa 1760-1770.
God, silver, diamond, heliotrope, velvet, base metal; carving, chasing, weaving.
Pocket watch
England, London, 1772-1773.
Watch-maker John Ellicott, jeweller Tomas Layton (body and case).
Gold, platinum, glass, paper, base metal; enamel, engraving, chasing
Needle-holder
West Europe, mid-18th century.
Gold, silver, diamond, agate, base metal; carving, chasing, casting, polish
Sealing wax case
France, 1794-1797.
Yuge Nicolas.
Gold, enamel; casting, stamp, punching, enamel, engraving.
Lash
19th century.
Silver, braid, leather, silver-gilt threads, reed, silk threads; casting, gilding, carving, weaving.

16 December 2019 - 12 April 2020

Moscow, ‘Tsaritsyno’ Museum and Heritage Site

Organized by: the State Historical, Architectural, Art and Landscape Museum and Heritage Site ‘Tsaritsyno’

Participants:: the State Hermitage, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, State Historical Museum, Museum and Heritage Site 'Peterhof', ‘Ostankino’ Estate, ‘Kuskovo’ Estate, ‘Arkhangelskoye’ State Estate, The Moscow Kremlin Museums, State Museum of A.S. Pushkin, Museum of V.A. Tropinin, private collectors — N.S. Mustafayev, A.V. Rudentsov, S.A. and T.A. Podstanitskiye, I.B. Bazhenova (Fund IN ARTIBUS)

The Moscow Kremlin Museums participate in the exhibition held in the ‘Tsaritsyno’ Museum and Heritage Site, dedicated to fashion, interior, applied art, and lifestyle of the 1760-1780s.

Such unique pieces from its collection as the illustrations to the engravings from the series ‘Monument du costume’ by Jean-Michel Moreau "the younger" are given on loan for this exhibition. Among them are works of European jewellery art, which are presented to a wide audience for the first time, viz a heliotrope necessaire and agate needle-holder, as well as a pocket watch made by one of the most famous English watchmakers—John Ellicott.

A gold sealing wax case made in French neoclassical style of the second half of the 18th century is of particular interest. Pieces related to the hunting tradition of 1760-1780s are displayed as well — an elegant embroidered dog collar with silver-gilt threads and a lash meant for training horses. Of much interest is a luxurious gun made in Tula in 1762; its barrel is adorned with a high-relief ornament on a flat-chased gilded background, while its stock is inlaid with silver plates. There is also a rifle made by Gavrila Permyakov, an armourer to the court of Empress Catherine the Great.