Standard Bearer and Trumpeter of the Don Cossack Life-Guard Regiment: a military porcelain plate, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St Petersburg, period of Nicholas I, 1832

The Don Cossacks of the Guard

The Don Cossacks Life-Guards were a distinguished and formidable unit within the Russian military, representing the storied traditions and martial prowess of the Cossack people. Known for their exceptional horsemanship, loyalty, and distinctive cultural heritage, the Don Cossacks of the Guard played a crucial role in both the defence and ceremonial functions of the Russian state.

The Don Cossacks trace their origins to the 16th century when they settled along the Don River in southwestern Russia. These semi-autonomous warrior communities were known for their fierce independence and military skills, often serving as frontier guards against invasions. By the 18th century, the Russian Empire recognised their strategic importance and began to incorporate them into the imperial military structure. The Don Cossacks Life-Guards Regiment was established as an elite unit within this framework, serving as personal guards to the Emperor and participating in major military campaigns. Their integration into the imperial guard system highlighted their transition from semi-independent warriors to key components of the Russian military apparatus.

The uniform of the Don Cossacks was both practical and symbolic. It typically included the traditional Cossack attire adapted to fit the standards of the imperial guard. This attire featured the papakha (a tall fur hat), the cherkesska (a long coat with cartridge loops), and the beshmet (a padded jacket), often adorned with military insignia and decorations that signified their elite status. Their cultural traditions were deeply ingrained in their military practices. The Don Cossacks maintained a strong sense of community and brotherhood, rooted in their historical way of life. This cultural cohesion was a source of strength and identity, differentiating them from other units within the Russian military.

The Don Cossacks Life-Guards epitomised the fusion of traditional Cossack martial culture with the formal structures of the Russian Empire’s military. Their exceptional horsemanship, distinctive uniforms, and unwavering loyalty made them a unique and essential element of the Tsar's guard. Through their service, they preserved the legacy of the Cossacks while contributing significantly to the strength and stability of the Russian state. Their legacy endures as a testament to their vital role in the history of the Russian Empire.

A plate of the same design from the period of Nicholas I, painted instead by S. Daladugin, previously sold at Sotheby’s for £43,750 (26 November 2019, lot 460)

The Military Service

In 1827, shortly after the beginning of his reign, Emperor Nicholas I commissioned the first series of 120 plates as part of a military service, possibly inspired by an earlier series of similar wares produced at KPM in Berlin. The Imperial Porcelain Factory, who were charged with the commission, executed two versions of each plate, one intended for the Emperor, and a second for the Tsarevich. Nicholas I later sent more than 200 plates to his father-in-law, King Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia, who incorporated them in the decoration of his new pavilion at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin. Military plates remained popular; production continued uninterrupted throughout the 19th century, the last additions made during the reign of Nicholas II, with designs being changed when uniforms were altered.

Their subjects came from a variety of sources, including Sobranie mundirov rossiiskoi imperatorskoi armii (A Collection of Uniforms of the Imperial Russian Army), published in 1830 with lithographs by military draftsmen P. Alexandrov and Lev Belousov. Later on, the factory painters also turned to the series of watercolours by Piratsky depicting Changes in the Clothing and Arms of the Russian Imperial Army during the Reign of Alexander Nicholayevich. Piratsky’s series was a supplement to the famous work by the military historian Alexander Viskovatov Historical Descriptions of the Clothing and Arms of the Russian Army. Many of the original watercolours are held in the Russian Museum in St Petersburg and the series was continued by Pyotr Balashov (1853-1888) after Piratsky’s death. Key Russian historical painters Viktor Vikentevich Mazurovsky (1859-1923) and Adolf Iosifovich Charlemagne (1826-1901) also provided much of the imagery which was used as a springboard for the finest painters-decorators from the period working at the Imperial Porcelain Factory. Sometimes, the Imperial Porcelain painters used the watercolours to inspire vignettes and poses on the plates, rather than copying them directly, creating interesting comparisons between the source material and final product.