Fabergé: The Art of Its Own
6-weeks | Registration opens 2/14/2026 9:00 AM EST
Journey into the exquisite world of Fabergé, where artistry, history and royalty converge. This course explores the atelier’s close connection with the Russian imperial family and consequent influence across the royal courts of Britain, Scandinavia and Siam. We will discover all fifty-six Imperial Easter Eggs—masterpieces of elegance, innovation and imperial intimacy. In 1882, brothers Carl and Agaphon Fabergé, of German descent, took over their father’s jewelry workshop in St. Petersburg. With unmatched artistry and sharp business sense, they transformed the shop into a world-renowned jewelry house, turning natural forms—flowers, animals and delicate motifs—into breathtaking masterpieces in metal, wood and gemstone. This course explores the artistic and historical legacy of Fabergé, building on materials from the class presented in Fall 2025 to examine often misunderstood aspects of the Fabergé family. We will also trace how the Fabergé name became associated with mass-market cosmetics in the 1970s - 1980s.
Suggested readings: Fabergé by Géza von Habsburg and Fabergé Revealed at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by Géza von Habsburg.
Note: This class expands upon the material covered in the Fall 2025 class.
Gala Leganof
Gala Leganof is a scholar and artist whose work bridges politics and the arts. She earned a B.A. cum laude in International Politics from Marist University and an M.A. from McGill University, where she taught undergraduates and published Understanding American Democracy in the Context of Democracy’s Empirical and Normative Evolution. She pursued further studies in United Nations governance at Columbia University and lectured on international affairs. A lifelong artist, Gala trained with leading artists in Russia, Ukraine, Canada and the U.S., took college arts electives and founded the Leganof Gallery, currently on hold for family reasons.