This book gives a fascinating overview of Russian decorative art, revealing a highly accomplished crafts tradition that persisted over nine centuries. It includes works by Peter Carl Faberge and his workshop, jeweled Byzantine icons, silver drinking vessels, and intricate enamels. Featured are two extraordinary Faberge eggs that were once in the Russian Imperial collection, including one that opens up to reveal a miniature gold replica of the Gatchina Palace, near St. Petersburg. The decorative arts had flourished in Russia under the patronage of the tsars and their court, whose apparently limitless resources supported the production of some of the most technically sophisticated works of art ever made.