Egg on Stand with Easel and Photograph of Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaievich

c. 1890–1896

Egg on Stand with Easel and Photograph of Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaievich, c. 1890–1896. Alexander Edward Tillander (Russian, 1837–1918). Gold, enamel, sapphire, gold easel and stand, paper, faceted green glass; The Cleveland Museum of Art, The India Early Minshall Collection 1966.435 In the Russian Orthodox religious tradition, eggs are offered as Easter gifts to symbolize rebirth, renewal, and the resurrection of Christ. This jeweled Russian egg is engraved with XB symbolizing the phrase, “Christ is risen,” and would have been given to a lady in a wealthy household, perhaps someone of high rank within the imperial court, given the richness of materials.