Flower Study of a Lowbush Cranberry or Lingonberry
c. 1885–1915
Medium
chalcedony, jade, rock crystal, gold
Dimensions
11.5 × 4.8 cm
Classification
Miscellaneous
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The India Early Minshall Collection
Accession Number
1966.446
Tags
About this artwork
This flower study depicts a lowbush cranberry or lingonberry. To achieve a naturalistic effect of ripening fruit, Fabergé varied the coloring of the berries. Some are made of chalcedony in hues of milky white to represent unripe berries, while others appear in deep reddish agate to represent ripe ones. Fabergé’s inspiration for his flower studies is said to have come from the floral brooches of precious stones that were made in the 1700s for Catherine the Great as well as from the Japanese art o...