Fabergé: Objects of Desire
Fabergé: Objects of Desire
Lecturer: Cynthia Coleman Sparke
Exactly how did a modest jewellery concern with an extremely un-Russian sounding name become an enduring symbol of Romanov luxury? This talk takes us beyond the legendary Easter eggs to consider the design sources, materials and techniques that distinguished the legendary Russian firm from its contemporaries. We look in particular at Fabergé gifts that were selected to convey romantic ties, filial devotion, diplomatic esteem, and even loyalty from a beloved pet.
Cynthia Coleman Sparke is an independent researcher, author and lecturer on Russian Pre-Revolutionary works of art, consulting regularly on Fabergé for auction houses. Having periodically grown up on and off in Moscow within a family of Russian art collectors, she was destined for a career in Russian art. Previously, Cynthia ran the Russian Department for Christie’s in New York and worked for Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens in Washington DC. This was followed by a restoration project at the Alexander Palace near St Petersburg, Nicholas II’s last residence. Her book Russian Decorative Arts was published in 2014 by the Antique Collectors’ Club.