Moscow Kremlin (Fabergé egg)

1906 Imperial Fabergé egg

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Moscow Kremlin Egg Fabergé egg

Year delivered| 1906
Customer| Nicholas II
Recipient| Alexandra Feodorovna
Current owner
Individual or institution| Kremlin Armoury
Design and materials
Materials used| Onyx, gold, enamel, glass
Height| 361 millimetres (14.2 in)
Width| 185 millimetres (7.3 in)
Surprise| Music box

The Uspenski Cathedral egg or Moscow Kremlin egg is a jewelled Easter egg made under the supervision of the Russian jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé in 1906 for Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. It was presented by Nicolas II as an Easter gift to his wife, the Czarina Alexandra Fyodorovna. It is currently held in the Kremlin Armoury Museum in Moscow, and it is one of the few imperial Fabergé eggs that were never sold after the Russian Revolution.

## Design

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The Moscow Kremlin egg is by far the largest of the Fabergé eggs and was inspired by the architecture of the Dormition Cathedral, Moscow (Uspenski) in Moscow. This cathedral was where all the Tsars of Russia were crowned, including Nicholas II himself.

The cathedral dome (in white opalescent vitreous enamel) is removable, and the remarkably crafted interior of the church can be seen. Its carpets, tiny enameled icons and high altar on an oval glass plate are made visible through four triple windows, surmounted by a gold cupola and flanked by two square, two circular stylized turrets, the former based on the Spassky Tower. The tower bears the coat of arms of the Russian Empire and the coat of arms of Moscow, inset with 'chiming clocks'. It stands on a crenellated gold base and octagonal white onyx plinth designed as a pyramid, and built of more smaller pyramids

## Surprise

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The surprise in this egg is music. The base of the egg contains a gold music box that plays two cherubim chants, traditional Easter hymns can be played when a clockwork mechanism is wound up by a gold key. One of the hymns is the "Izhe Khveruvimy" (Cherubic Hymn #7 by D. Bortnyansky), a favorite hymn of Nicholas II.

## History

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The egg commemorates the return to Moscow of the royal couple Nicholas II and Alexandra Fyodorovna in 1903. They had tended to avoid the historical capital due to its ill-omened association with a riot during Nicholas's coronation, where hundreds of Moscovites were crushed to death. The egg itself was supposed to be presented in 1904 as engraved at the foot in white enamel on a round gold plate is the date. But the delivery was delayed because of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905). This was followed by the assassination in the Kremlin of Nicholas' favorite uncle and brother-in-law, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. So instead the egg was only presented for Easter, 1906. The egg was kept in the Maple Room in the Alexander Palace.

## See also

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* Egg decorating

## References

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* Faber, Toby (2008). Faberge's Eggs: The Extraordinary Story of the Masterpieces That Outlived an Empire. Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6550-9.
* Forbes, Christopher; Prinz von Hohenzollern, Johann Georg (1990). FABERGE; The Imperial Eggs. Prestel. ASIN B000YA9GOM.
* Lowes, Will (2001). Fabergé Eggs: A Retrospective Encyclopedia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-3946-6.
* Snowman, A Kenneth (1988). Carl Faberge: Goldsmith to the Imperial Court of Russia. Gramercy. ISBN 0-517-40502-4.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Moscow Kremlin (Fabergé egg).

* Description at wintraecken.nl

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Fabergé eggs

Imperial Easter eggs
(1885–1917)|

* First Hen
* also known as Jeweled Hen
* Hen with Sapphire Pendant
* also known as Egg with Hen in Basket
* Third Imperial
* Cherub with Chariot
* also known as Angel with Egg in Chariot
* Nécessaire
* Danish Palaces
* Memory of Azov
* Diamond Trellis
* Caucasus
* Renaissance
* Rosebud
* Blue Serpent Clock
* Twelve Monograms
* also known as Alexander III Portraits
* Rock Crystal
* also known as Revolving Miniatures
* Imperial Coronation
* Mauve
* Lilies-of-the-Valley
* Pelican
* also known as Dowager
* Bouquet of Lilies Clock
* also known as Madonna Lily Clock
* Pansy
* also known as Spinach Jade
* Trans-Siberian Railway
* Cockerel
* also known as Cuckoo Clock
* Basket of Flowers
* Gatchina Palace
* Clover Leaf
* Empire Nephrite
* Peter the Great
* Royal Danish
* also known as Danish Jubilee
* Moscow Kremlin
* also known as Uspenski Cathedral
* Swan
* Rose Trellis
* Cradle with Garlands
* also known as Love Trophies
* Alexander Palace
* Peacock
* Standart Yacht
* Alexander III Commemorative
* Colonnade
* Alexander III Equestrian
* Fifteenth Anniversary
* Bay Tree
* also known as Orange Tree
* Tsarevich
* Napoleonic
* Romanov Tercentenary
* Winter
* Mosaic
* Catherine the Great
* also known as Grisaille or Pink Cameo
* Red Cross with Triptych
* Red Cross with Imperial Portraits
* Steel Military
* Order of St. George
* Karelian Birch
* Constellation

Kelch eggs
(1898–1904)|

* Hen
* Twelve Panel
* Pine Cone
* Apple Blossom
* also known as Jade Chest
* Rocaille
* Bonbonnière
* Chanticleer

Other Fabergé eggs|

* Blue Striped Enamel [ru]
* Clock [hy]
* Duchess of Marlborough
* also known as Pink Serpent
* Gorbachev Peace
* Lapis Lazuli
* Nobel's Ice Egg
* Resurrection
* Rose Quartz
* Rothschild
* Scandinavian
* also known as Quisling
* Spring Flowers
* Twilight [ru]
* Youssoupov [ru]

Fabergé workmasters|

* August Wilhelm Holmström
* Michael Perkhin
* Alma Pihl
* Henrik Wigström
* Victor Mayer

Related|

* Peter Carl Fabergé
* House of Fabergé
* Fabergé Museum (Baden-Baden)
* Fabergé Museum (Saint Petersburg)

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