Coronation Album of Elizabeth Petrovna - ceremonial album published on the occasion of the official accession to the throne of the Russian Empress Elizabeth Petrovna .
The full name is “A detailed description of the Solemn Rules for a successful entry into the reigning city of Moscow and the sacred coronation of Her Augustine Imperial Majesty the Most Hierarchical Sovereign Great Empress Elisabeth Petrovna the Autocrat of the All-Russian, on February 25, April 42. The publication turned out to be so successful that a fully colored version of the album was exhibited at the International Printing Exhibition in Leipzig [1] .
Edition History
The first Russian edition was published in 600 copies in 1744 on the occasion of the coronation ceremony of Elizabeth Petrovna, which took place on April 25, 1742 . In the same 1744, an additional circulation of 50 copies was published. In 1745, another 900 copies were produced.
Album
The publication was published in the in-plano format (large sheet) with two title pages, in Russian and German. The volume of the publication is 168 numbered pages. The album contains a large portrait of the empress, 4 vignettes in the text and 49 illustrations on separate sheets [1] . The coronation album of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna was prepared by the best academic engravers of that time: X. Wortman, Ya. Shtelin , I. Sokolov , G. Kachalov. The portrait of the empress was made using the mezzo-tinto technique (black style), the rest of the illustrations are copper engravings. Vignettes in the text are represented by the screensavers “Ball” and “View of the Moscow Kremlin” by the engraver I. Sokolov. The columns are decorated with miniature crowns.
There were three options for the design of the album:
- In Russian with painted engravings. In full leather binding with a double-headed eagle embossed on the lid, the imperial crown, orb and scepter. The album is printed on Alexandrian paper.
- In German with black and white engravings. All-leather binding with gold stamping in the form of a monogram of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna on the front cover of the album and a two-headed eagle on the back. The album is printed on Alexandrian paper.
- In Russian with black and white engravings, bound without decoration.
Illustration from the Monochrome Edition
Color illustration
Edition Content
The publication contains a description of the coronation ceremony, held on April 25, 1742, engravings based on drawings by I. Grimmel on the subjects of the coronation rite, images of imperial costumes and regalia and a portrait image of the empress. The celebrations lasted for two months and were unimaginable luxury.
Reprint
"A comprehensive description of the Solemn Rules for a successful entry into the reigning city of Moscow and the sacred coronation of Her Augustine Imperial Majesty the Most High Majesty the Sovereign Empress Elizabeth Petrovna the autocrat of the All-Russian Church, on April 25, 42. - Facsimile edition 1744 - St. Petersburg: Alfaret , 2006.
Interesting Facts
In 2009, the original copy of the 1744 edition was sold at Christie's auction for 98.5 thousand dollars - three times more expensive than the preliminary estimate with a lower bar at 30 thousand.
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 A. Lukashin. Russian Kononation albums and collections of the 18th-19th centuries // Antiques, objects of art and collectibles. - 2006. - No. 4 (36). - S. 88-96.
Sources
- A detailed description of the Solemn Order of the Well-Entered the Imperial City of Moscow and the Holy Crownation of Her August Imperial Majesty the MostHere Majesty the Sovereign Great Empress Elizabeth Petrovna the Autocrat of the All-Russian, on April 25, February 42. - St. Petersburg, Printing House of the Academy of Sciences, 1744.