St. Petersburg, Russian Imperial Glass Factory. Last third of the eighteenth century. For the personal property of the royal house.

St. Petersburg, Russian Imperial Glass Factory, for the personal property of Tsarina Catherine II or the royal house. Last third of the eighteenth century (prob. 1780-90). Interesting ground glass chalice for Tsarina Catherine depicting Saint George slaying a dragon, as per Christian tradition and symbol of the Romanov imperial family. On the back, the imperial monogram of Tsarina Catherine II Alekseevna of Russia (Ekaterina II Alekseevna Stettin, April 21, 1729 – Pushkin, November 6, 1796), with the inscription in Russian: "??? ??????" = Without fear!. Height cm.11, width cm.8.2. In excellent condition, no restorations. An admirer of Peter the Great, Catherine modernized western Russia, along the lines of enlightened absolutism: she took an interest in education, founding the first higher education institution for women in Europe, but she also took an interest in finances and the creation of new towns founded on her order. Despite this, her policy led to an increase in the number of serfs, with consequent popular discontent and the outbreak of numerous revolts, violently suppressed, such as the one led by the Cossack Pugachev.