COUPÉ. BERLIN, 1746.

Coupé
Berlin, master Johann Michael Hoppenhaupt (after his own drawing), 1746; velvet – Russia, the 18^th-19^th cc. Beech,velvet, bronze, silver, iron, sequins; wood carving, gilding on gesso, oil painting.

A gift from King Friedrich II of Prussia to Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. From 1746 it was on display in the Court Stables Museum in St. Petersburg. In 1917, the carriage was moved to Moscow, where it was exposed in the Carriage Museum until its closure. Acquired by the Armoury Chamber in 1926
Portrait of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna
Russia, the 18^th c.
Copy of the engraving by J. Stenglin (after 1746).
Unknown artist.
Oil on canvas
Sculptural décor on the front part of the undercarriage
Coupé. Berlin, 1746. Fragment
Wood painting and medallions with Russian coat of arms on the door of the body
Coupé. Berlin, 1746. Fragment
Sculptural décor at the lower part of the body
Coupé. Berlin, 1746. Fragment
Crest décor
Coupé. Berlin, 1746. Fragment

The two-seater carriage was executed in 1746 in Berlin and presented to Empress Elizaveta Petrovna by King Friedrich II. As the Prussian King pursued an active invasion policy, he could have sent this equipage to the Russian Empress to gain her support. Even if this was the actual King’s intention, the present didn’t produce the desired effect. When the Seven Years' War started in 1756, Russia and Prussia entered the opposite military coalitions.

This splendid carriage, truly ranked among the best specimens of the 18th-century decorative carving, is executed by a famous craftsman Johann Hoppenhaupt. The master’s typical motif of spectacular spreading palm trees and a bunch of pointed leaves predominate in the décor. Medallions with the images of the Russian state coat of arms studded with rhinestones adorn the cabin doors. The copper crown tops the equipage.

The carriage is extremely expressive. Rococo features are clearly evident in its form and décor. The body narrows towards the base and the lower section of the back wall curves elegantly. There are three windows on the front and side walls. The windows and upper half of the doors with a figured top section contain plate glass.

Carving has pride of place in the overall composition of the carriage décor, following the constructional details, it emphasizes the beautiful lines of the body and the individual parts, the smoothly curved cornices, the wall-joints and window and door frames. The window frames are traced most finely. High relief carving occasionally turns into sculpture in the round. The dynamic, light flower garlands and shells, the whimsical gilt scrolls, and the fretted trellises with birds blend well with sculptures of mythological sea deities which seem to grow out of the floral bouquets and large intertwined foliate scrolls. The varying pattern of the carving creates a lively interplay of light and shade and brings out the plastic expressiveness of the pattern.

A fine carved pattern covers the technical details, the axle-pivot, the pole under the body, the shaft, the wheels, and back of the undercarriage. On the front of the undercarriage high-relief carving and fine rocaille ornament are entwined with wooden sculpture. The carver has shown unusual skill in his artistic treatment of the carriage. The sculptural details are very finely modelled. They reveal a remarkable feeling for the material. The décor on this carriage is one of the finest specimens of decorative sculpture of its day. The upper section of the back wall is upholstered with fabric in a subdued red. Like the interior upholstery and crest, this is embroidered in gold thread with a large high-relief rocaille pattern.

This coupé was the work of the famous German carriage-builder, decorator and carver, Johann Michael Hoppenhaupt. Some of his drawings, as well as an engraving have survived. The interesting foliate motif like a leafy palm tree or a bouquet of large sharp-pointed leaves in very high relief plays an important part in the carriage décor. This motif is also found in the concert hall at the palace of San Souci in Potsdam, the carved décor of which was also executed by J.M. Hoppenhaupt in the middle of the 18^th century. In the building this unique carriage as a present to such an illustrious personage as the empress of Russia, the master evidently sought to put all his creative genius into it. Judging from the drawings, a number of changes were made to the original idea. The fact that the carriage was a present from Friedrich II to Empress Elizaveta Petrovna is confirmed by the journal of Reports of the Foreign Affairs Commission for 1746. It was subsequently used during coronations throughout the 18^th and the 19^th centuries.

In the 19^th century, the doors acquired bronze medallions with the Russian state emblem picked out in the shining white crystals. Armoury archival documents tell us that the carriage doors and walls were originally decorated with painted pastoral scenes. In 1883, they were gilded and embellished with these medallions. The painting on the walls and doors appeared at the same time.