Russian Imperial Ladybug Necklace

Description

Peter Carl Fabergé’s (Russian, 1846–1920) studios produced a wide variety of objets d’art, including magnificent jewelry and clocks, as well as enamel cigarette cases, boxes, and frames. A fine example is a tiny gold, enamel, and diamond box with a lid in the form of a ladybug, now in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The Metropolitan Museum’s Russian Imperial Ladybug Necklace is adapted from this original box.

Produced in cooperation with the Cleveland Museum of Art, and made expressly for the Metropolitan Museum in the United States.

22K gold overlay, hand enameled. 36''L. Lobster claw closure.

Art History

In 1872, the twenty-six year old Peter Carl Fabergé (Russian, 1846–1920) took over his father’s jewelry business in St. Petersburg, Russia. With the help of his brother Agathon, he cultivated the patronage of the last two czars of the Romanov dynasty and the elite of Edwardian society. Fabergé revolutionized the way jewelry was evaluated in Russian society by emphasizing design creativity and workmanship over the use of precious stones and metals.