A rare and highly collectible Easter egg covered with exquisite miniature painting and gilding, created at the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory during the reign of Alexander II. The resurrection of Jesus is well portrayed on the Easter Egg: Jesus raised to life on the third day in his crucified body, leaving behind him an empty tomb guarded by Roman soldiers. On the back is the inscription "ХВ" (Christ is Risen!). A porcelain egg has two through holes for threading a ribbon through the egg or for its convenient placement on a special stand with a pin. The ribbon, threaded through the through hole, was usually tied with a bow at the bottom and a loop at the top. To tie the ribbons, they hired "bow makers" - often the daughters of workers of the Porcelain Manufactory.
Easter porcelain eggs, produced by the Imperial Porcelain Factory for members of the imperial family "for distribution" during the Easter greeting (from 1749 until the revolution 1917), were painted by the leading artists of the factory.
Size app.: 7.5 cm (roughly 2.95 in) height, 5.7 cm (roughly 2.24 in) diameter. Very good condition restoration at bottom hole, micro cracks and chips (see on pictures), age and usage wear. Please study high-res pictures for cosmetic condition! In person actual item may appear darker or brighter than in our pictures, strictly depending on sufficient light in your environment. Weight of app. 0.1 kg it is going to measure some 0.25 kg packed for shipment.
The egg has long been considered a symbol of life and rebirth - people were amazed that the egg, which outwardly showed no signs of life until the last moment, hid a living chicken hidden inside. According to legend, an ordinary egg, symbolically presented by Mary Magdalene to the Roman Emperor Tiberius, changed its color to reveal the truth to him. As a symbol of victory over death and the blessed resurrection of the dead, painted eggs became common gifts for Easter among Orthodox Christians. Subsequently, Easter eggs began to be made of porcelain, wood, glass, stone, silver, gold...