03.06.2025
Exhibit in detail: travel shot glasses in the form of a split egg
On 3 June some countries celebrate a peculiar holiday – National egg day. On this day we can talk not only about one of the most popular products for almost all cuisines in the world, but also about the various incarnations of its form in the history of culture.
The history of this holiday goes back to ancient times. The egg has always been considered a symbol of life and fertility, a symbol of the universe, the power and strength of life. That is why its image is widely spread in mythology, religion and art of different communities. Everyone knows about Christianity and Easter – about dyed eggs, which children like so much, and about skilful pysanka (painted Easter eggs) and krashenka (hard-boiled painted eggs) with elaborate symbolics (there is even a museum of pysanka in Kolomyia), and even more so about legendary jewelry eggs – masterpieces of Carl Faberge.
The shape of an egg, as a vivid mythological image, carrying a deep philosophical and psychological impact, is firmly embedded in the works of art and architecture of many countries. It is a simple and perfect form that inspires many artisans and architect to create unusual and amazingly beautiful and marvellous works. It is said that the architect Antoni Gaudí, who gave us the amazing architecture of Barcelona, who hated straight forms and lines and considered an egg to be a model of perfection and natural integrity, carried raw eggs in his pocket for some time. An egg is the reference or starting point for many works of Salvador Dalí, symbolizing the beginning of a new life. The giant eggs are located on the roof of the ‘Dalí Museum Theatre’ building in Figueres.
In 1958, Arne Jacobsen created an egg-shaped armchair for the lobby of the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. The simple, comfortable and attractive egg-armchair has become a design classic.
Modern masters of architecture and design also sometimes bet on the perfect oval. In 2009, a 13-storey egg-shaped commercial building called Cybertecture Egg was built in Mumbai. The building has 33,000 square meters of office space. The author considered the concept of the project from a planetary perspective: the building was developed as a single ecosystem with its own microclimate, where people would feel comfortable to work.
The 40-storey egg-shaped Mary Axe skyscraper dominates in London. This building is one of the best works of the famous British architect Norman Foster.
The egg is an absolute masterpiece of natural form. Perfection is both aesthetic and functional. If an oval looks like an egg, then an egg looks like an oval, but with a peculiar geometric construction.
There are very few people in the world whose lives and work are directly related to the art of Eggshell Carving and eggs as a material for their work. This ancient art originated in China, and in ancient Egypt eggshells were used to create decorative elements and amulets.
Over time, carving techniques have changed. Today, craftsmen use milling machines and engraving tools. Patterns can be carved on any shell: ostrich, goose, chicken, quail, etc.
Of course, to a much greater extent, the items realized in the form of an oval (ovoid) are much more widespread in the world than those that are made of egg shells. One can remember ancient samovars, egg-shaped sweets, caskets, jewelry, cream jars and perfume bottles, souvenirs made of wood and stone, lamps, toys designed on the principle of matryoshka doll.
Today's column ‘Exhibit in Detail’ features an item presented in the ‘Russian Enamel’ section of the museum exposition:
Travel shot glasses in the form of a split egg. Kurlyukov firm. Russian Empire, Moscow. 1908-1917
Egg-transformer, assembled as an Easter egg on a ring base (leg), disassembled as two shot glasses. Shot glasses are on high profiled legs, one of which is detachable and can be retracted inside the egg. The shot glasses external surface is decorated with stylized foliage filigree patterns comprised from fancy flowers in three-bladed frames; ornamental rosette is on the shot glasses low part. The shot glasses crowns are emphasized by a row of filigree rings with blue enamel. The inscription in Cyrillic is on the crown of one shot glass. Colours of enamels are red, navy, turquoise, white, green, lilac and their shades.