A PORCELAIN VASE, IMPERIAL PORCELAIN FACTORY, ST PETERSBURG, PERIOD OF NICHOLAS I (1825-1855) |

of baluster form with scrolling handles, one side of the body painted with flowers, the reverse with gilt rocaille scrolls on dark brown grounds, the lower part with raised modelled acanthus leaves, on a gilt bronze socle, with blue overglaze  Imperial cypher and inscribed 'Zh. (Cyrillic) 2. 4.'

presented by the Russian Imperial Court to a member of the Oldenburg family, most likely Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (*1827 - 1900)

The top part of the gilt porcelain scroll handles loose in the joint area. The central painting in very good condition. The brown and gold scroll background with multiple small areas of paint loss and flaking.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The Imperial Porcelain Factory, founded in 1744 on the orders of Peter the Great’s daughter Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, was the first porcelain factory to be founded in Russia and the third founded in Europe. Peter the Great first expressed interest in porcelain after travelling through Europe: at the Dresden Court in Freiberg, Saxony, the emperor caught a glimpse of Meissen porcelain and would later send his advisors abroad in search of men capable of establishing Russia’s own porcelain industry. Initially, the factory was dedicated to producing and refining a recipe for porcelain. The resulting paste, perfected after countless experiments by Dmitry Vinogradov, was made using all Russian minerals and took stylistic inspiration from Chinese and European hard-paste porcelain. For years, Russian porcelain was exclusively manufactured for the Romanov family and the Russian Imperial Court, and closely followed the trends that began in Europe; dinner services and diplomatic gifts were staples of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, and in the latter half of the 18^th century the production of porcelain figurines became de rigueur, as per the European example. Despite a simmering undercurrent of social unrest, the reign of Nicholas I saw the Russian Empire at the height of its geographical expansion and gave rise to a period of unprecedented artistic growth. Under the Emperor’s patronage, the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg grew in stature and earned widespread support from contemporary artists. Russian literature reached its golden age, with works by Aleksandr Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol, Ivan Turgenev published during Nicholas I’s reign. Classical music became firmly established in Russian culture with Mikhail Glinka’s compositions, and ballet also began to take root, following the French example. Russian porcelain, too, was taking its place on the world stage – during the first half of the nineteenth century, it attained such widespread recognition that it was finally considered on a par with its European competition.

Large and exceptionally crafted vases such as the current lot are listed in the Imperial Porcelain Factory’s historical records as their most expensive works. The central part of these vases was treated as a canvas, and factory artists took advantage of this space to display their work. The present lot depicts a bouquet of flowers in the style of Ivan Ivlevich Tychagin, a renowned floral porcelain artist who received the Order of St Anne in 1837 for his designs on porcelain. His vases were presented during his lifetime at the first public exhibition of Russian works of art in St. Petersburg in 1829. Nicholas I commissioned a number of porcelain vases during his reign, mainly intended for presentation and to adorn the Imperial family’s palaces, exhibition pavilions, and private mansions. Vases of such grandeur and splendour were often commissioned by the emperor as gifts to be presented to the heads of foreign royal families and to foreign diplomats, as acknowledgement for outstanding service.

Born Prince Nikolaus Friedrich Peter on July 8, 1827, Peter II was Grand Duke of Oldenburg from 1853 until his death in 1900. The only child of Grand Duke August I of Oldenburg and his second wife, Princess Ida of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym. He served during his youth in both the Prussian and Hanoverian armies. In February 1852, he married Princess Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg.

The Grand Duke’s family ties with the Russian Emperor (both were descendants of Christian Albrecht of Holstein-Gottorp) meant that he sided with Russia during the Crimean War and later, during the Second Schleswig-Holstein War, laid claim to part of the territory seized by Prussia. In a treaty with Prussia, signed in February 1867, Peter gave up his claims. In exchange, he received the district of Ahrensbök and the Prussian part of the former Principality of Lübeck. This expanded territory gave Oldenburg direct access to the Baltic Sea. He also fought with Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War.