Netsuke on the Neva: Japanese Influence on Russian Sculpture from the House of Fabergé and the Myth of the Decorative Arts

Nikita Sveshnikov

Advisor: Dr. Janice Leoshko

Abstract

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the works of Peter Carl Fabergé flourished under patronage from an international audience. The influence of his House was unrivaled among the royal courts of the world. For over a century, the House of Fabergé has been considered the epitome of Russian craftsmanship and innovation in the field known as the decorative arts, yet there are aspects of his work that are not Russian at all, but directly influenced by Japan. In 1856, Japan opened to the world for trade, causing a vast influx of Japanese art into the European markets. Fabergé was not exempt from this influence, and many of his small animal sculptures directly reference the tradition of Japanese netsuke carving from the Kyoto school. This thesis examines the ways Fabergé drew on Japanese netsuke tradition, the ways his works have been treated in museums and private collections, as well as interrogates the term ‘decorative arts’ and the implications language has on how his work is subsequently categorized.