27 Nov 2013 Russian Art Auctions
27 November 2013
421. AN IMPERIAL PORCELAIN DESSERT PLATE FROM THE ROPSHA SERVICE
IMPERIAL PORCELAIN MANUFACTORY, PERIOD OF NICHOLAS I (1825-1855), CIRCA 1827
Diameter 22 cm.
8,000–12,000 GBP
The cavetto painted after Horace Vernet’s “The soldier of Waterloo”, depicting a grieving soldier, sitting in meditation, resting from the gruesome task of burying fallen comrades, the border with neoclassical gilt design on blue ground, imprinted under base “8 P” in Cyrillic.
This dessert plate comes from the Ministry (Ropsha) service from the Krasnoselskiy Palace. Commissioned by Prince Volkonskiy, Minister of the Imperial Palace, the title of the service highlights its origin. Executed in the Empire style with gold palmettes on blue ground, it was originally destined to serve at the grandest receptions at the Winter Palace. As was the case with most Imperial services, the cavetto of the dessert plate is decorated with a painting, however very few examples of the painted decoration from this service are known to survive. “The Soldier of Waterloo” can be considered an allegory of the victory of Russia over Napoleon in the war of 1812 and is an exceptionally rare feature of the Ropsha plates.
Notes on symbols:
* Indicates 5% Import Duty Charge applies.
Ω Indicates 20% Import Duty Charge applies.
§ Indicates Artist's Resale Right applies.
† Indicates Standard VAT scheme applies, and the rate of 20% VAT will be charged on both hammer price and premium.