Lot Essay
One of about 50 individual hardstone figures of 'Russian and English types' which Franz Birbaum in his memoirs regards as 'the most remarkable stone creations', and where he makes special mention of the sculptor Boris Karlovich Fredman-Kliuzel' [Froedman-Clusel] (1878-circa 1952?) as the artist of some of these figures. However, no documentary evidence has been found for a definite attribution, although Valentin Skurlov, co-author with T.F. Faberg and A.S. Gorynia, of Faberg and Petersburg Jewellers (St. Petersburg: Neva, 1997) devotes pp.567-604 to the sculptor and his career and discusses these hardstone figures over 10 pages.
This figure represents one of the easily recognised Russian types before the revolution; the pilgrim, who visited the holy places around the empire, living on the generosity of others in return praying for these benefactors where-ever they went. The figure follows the tradition of the porcelain factories of the late 18th and early 19th century, which in their turn were inspired by the publication of J.G. Georgi's work Description de toutes les Nations de l'Empire de Russie in St. Petersburg in 1776-1777, and later of Collection de Cris et Costumes de Paysans et Paysannes de Saint Ptersbourg by A.O. Orlovski in 1825.
In the 1986-1987 Munich exhibition catalogue appeared Faberg's Hardstone Figures by Alexander von Solodkov (pp.82-86 of the English edition) at the end of which are listed 47 known figures, the Bogomolets as the last. The author, and Valentin Skurlov, stress the individuality of each carved figure. However, three figures of John Bull are known, but each made from different stones, and Skurlov wonders whether the two figures of the 'Mamka' [wet-nurse] might not be the one and the same, having been sold by Faberg on two occasions. Skurlov also speculates that no more than 40-50 figures were made.
Birbaum emphasises the craftsmanship of Fredman-Kliuzel' and the superb workmanship of these figures, which is so striking. Each different stone is carefully chosen, here using various shades of quartzite or jasper with its granular texture, and delicately carved to represent the naturalistic elements, from the flesh, to the cloth and the coins. These hardstone figures appear very rarely on the market; the last was 'John Bull' from the collection of the late Sir Charles Clore at Christie's Geneva in 1985.
This figure represents one of the easily recognised Russian types before the revolution; the pilgrim, who visited the holy places around the empire, living on the generosity of others in return praying for these benefactors where-ever they went. The figure follows the tradition of the porcelain factories of the late 18th and early 19th century, which in their turn were inspired by the publication of J.G. Georgi's work Description de toutes les Nations de l'Empire de Russie in St. Petersburg in 1776-1777, and later of Collection de Cris et Costumes de Paysans et Paysannes de Saint Ptersbourg by A.O. Orlovski in 1825.
In the 1986-1987 Munich exhibition catalogue appeared Faberg's Hardstone Figures by Alexander von Solodkov (pp.82-86 of the English edition) at the end of which are listed 47 known figures, the Bogomolets as the last. The author, and Valentin Skurlov, stress the individuality of each carved figure. However, three figures of John Bull are known, but each made from different stones, and Skurlov wonders whether the two figures of the 'Mamka' [wet-nurse] might not be the one and the same, having been sold by Faberg on two occasions. Skurlov also speculates that no more than 40-50 figures were made.
Birbaum emphasises the craftsmanship of Fredman-Kliuzel' and the superb workmanship of these figures, which is so striking. Each different stone is carefully chosen, here using various shades of quartzite or jasper with its granular texture, and delicately carved to represent the naturalistic elements, from the flesh, to the cloth and the coins. These hardstone figures appear very rarely on the market; the last was 'John Bull' from the collection of the late Sir Charles Clore at Christie's Geneva in 1985.