# Imperial Red Cross Easter Egg

- By: Peter Carl Fabergé (Russian, 1846–1920)
- By: Henrik Wigström (Russian, 1862–1923)
- By: House of Fabergé (Russian, 1842–1918)
- Date: 1915
- Medium: gold, silver gilt, enamel, glass, ivory
- Classification: Miscellaneous
- Dimensions: Overall: 8.6 x 6.4 cm (3 3/8 x 2 1/2 in.)
- Culture: Russia, St. Petersburg
- Credit line: The India Early Minshall Collection
- Museum: [Cleveland Museum of Art](https://clevelandart.org/art/1963.673)
- Rights: [Public domain (CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1963.673/1963.673_web.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

The House of Fabergé made two imperial Easter eggs in 1915 that honored the contributions of Tsarina Alexandra and her two eldest daughters, Olga and Tatiana, to the war effort as Red Cross Sisters of Mercy. Compared to other Fabergé eggs elaborately ornamented with jewels, the eggs reflected the mood of austerity in Russia during World War I. This version becomes an icon when opened, revealing miniatures of the patron saints of the tsarina’s daughters. After the Russian Revolution, this relic of the Tsarist past was sold by the Soviet government to raise needed cash for the treasury.