With the quality of political leadership and prestige of political sophistication, Catherine the Great is best known as the Empress of Russia. Perhaps the outstanding feature was an incredible number of furniture items that were not only used but were also an ornamented exhibit of her opulence and connoisseurship. The furniture collection amassed by Catherine the Great was viewed as her imperial decision to promote Russian cultural and political might on the international arena.
Catherine the Great Furniture: Power and Patronage
Catherine
the Great ruled Russia and during this time raised Russia up to new heights.
She liked art and was educated in the spirit of the Enlightenment; using
culture as the support and enhancing her authority. She was an art lover and
plenty of designs in her choice of furniture even in her palace were not just
random, as she ensured they depicted her authority.
Catherine the Great’s furniture was an active part of this plan. This she ordered
impressive works, as large as her monarchy was opulent, adorned with refinement
of course Biblical details and the essence of luxurious material application as
well as spectacular design. All the pieces were about her power, cunning, and
vision for Russia, luxury, and progress side by side.
The Symbolism of Catherine the Great's Furniture
In
the 18th-century furniture was not just an ornament, in fact it served a
pragmatic purpose in the Russian households. It was a political tool, a sign of
the trodden, of the authority and the opulence that the Europeans and
specifically the British were when dealing with the local people. But this
visual display and Catherine the Great knew it all too well. By filling her
palaces with some of the finest furniture of her time, she sent a clear
message: Not only was Russia a military force to be considered, it also played
a role in the aspects of culture.
Catherine,
the Great used furniture that would make her subjects marvel through opulent
materials such as gilded wood, marble and malachite. The luxury of material and
gildry work speaks of her richness, at the same time the size of furniture and
over-detail informing of her power.
Iconic Pieces in Catherine the Great's Collection
However,
few works can be referred both as icons of Catherine’s reign and as part of the
magnificent collection which impresses with its size and value. The Malachite
Room in the Winter Palace is one of them; thanks to the expensive emerald green
malachite furniture. The choice of which to use was malachite, which was
considered as a precious stone and made Catherine look like a ruler with lots
of wealth.
Another
fine piece of Catherine the Great’s furniture is in the Golden Cabinet, for
chairs, tables, and cabinets gleamed golden, were most elaborate in design.
This furniture was not only’ exquisite but ‘political’ for it demonstrated
Catherine’s capacity to summon the best craftsmen and wood from all over
Europe.
That is why one of the most significant specimens in her collection can be Catherine’s Throne – the attribute of the supreme power. The sophistication of this work, its sleek royal appearance and elaborate decoration could not but highlight her role as the mistress of a huge empire.
Collaboration with European Artisans
Catherine
the Great Furniture could not rest happily within her Russian kingdom and
expand it beyond its borders. She soon sought advice from the best artisans in
Europe so that her furniture belonged to the most elegant and at the same time
it was at par with the best designs in Europe. She continued appropriate close
official contacts with the French and Italian designers who used their trends
in the royal Russian court.
It
was an incredibly interesting combination of Rococo, Baroque and Neoclassicism
together with imperial Russianness. These collaborations contributed to
Russia’s stabilization as the actor in the world art context, while the
furniture made for Catherine the Great set the benchmark for the subsequent
generations of Russian monarchs to aspire to.
Innovation and Functionality
While
surely aesthetically pleasing, also reflected the less ‘public’ sides of
enlightenment whereby Catherine’s furniture was not only lovely to look at but
also new and improved in how it was used. Obviously, Catherine welcomed all
innovations in furniture design, ordering unique furniture with hidden drawers,
hidden mechanisms and many other elements that described both curiosity and
practicality. For instance, she has writing desks with secret compartments and
hidden niches to show appreciation for learning and knowledge, which, however,
should not be overt.
However,
Catherine’s collection was not ornamental in any way. Her furniture was always
both luxurious and practical, maintaining a duality of both her private and
parlor rooms. This sensation corresponded to all practicality with her concept
of leadership, proving that even in luxury, Catherine was a queen who prized
both the form and the function.
Legacy of Catherine the Great's Furniture
Russian
furniture design and culture even till today are greatly influenced by furniture
that was left behind by Catherine the Great. Her preference for large elegant
and exquisitely built pieces provided the main tone of the Russian imperial
interiors that future tsars and designers emulated.
Today
people can see many of the famous works of Catherine at the State Museums of
the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. These masterpieces not only recall Catherine’s
rule but also recall constantly the association between art, political power
and politics in eighteenth-century Russia.
Conclusion
It
was as a policy and as a statement by Catherine the Great of her vision and
determination for the country of Russia in terms of furniture. In choosing
pieces that resulted to be essentials of modernity; in hiring Europe’s most
skilled craftsmen and designing furniture in imposing styles and beautiful
forms, her use of furniture was to demonstrate imperialism and refinement.
Today Catherine the great furniture remains popular and serves as a mega symbol
of her control on Russian art, politics and history.
