The present book includes the first full catalogue of Russian porcelain of the 18th and 19th centuries from the Vladimir Tsarenkov Collection. The collection has over 250 outstanding works by leading Russian manufactories - the Imperial Porcelain Factory in Saint Petersburg and the Gardner Porcelain Factory in the Moscow region - with a particular focus on the Age of Catherine the Great. The bulk of the collection consists of table and tea and coffee services, including the Private Service of Empress Elizabeth of Russia; the Everyday ("Rose"), Arabesque and Yacht Services of the Age of Catherine the Great; the Dowry Services of the daughters of Emperor Paul I and Empress Maria Feodorovna, which are the pearl of the collection; the dejeuner services of the Ages of Paul I and Alexander I; the Coronation Service of the Age of Nicholas I. The collection also includes statuettes, decorative vases and other porcelain forms such as a Vinogradov snuff box with a genre scene, a sculptural group with "trophies", and an exclusive selection of cups with heraldic emblems. Other masterpieces include a very rare biscuit bouquet by Pyotr Ivanov and decorative vases with floral ornaments, chinoiserie decoration, architectural landscapes and reproductions of paintings. The collection has major artistic, historical and cultural significance and great material and spiritual value. Each item provides historical evidence of its time. This illustrated edition includes introductory articles, a catalogue of wares, thematic appendices, a list of marks, a bibliography, and an index of names. It is intended for specialists, collectors, and general readers who take an interest in the best traditions of world art.
