Discerning Eye: Princess Michael
May 2007
Russia and royalty mingle this month at The Moscow World Fine Art Fair, where England’s
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent star in guests-of-honor roles. Along with the glimmering tiara she dons in her official portrait, Princess Michael, 62, wears several important hats in London’s art world. In January, she became president of Partridge Fine Arts—New Bond Street’s “Palace of the Arts,” as it’s often called, for English and European antiques. The gallery is one of 80-plus top international dealers descending on the Manège—the grand architectural ode to Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s army—for the Moscow show, which attracted 45,000 attendees last year. The Bohemia-born princess honed her eye as a young student in the fine and decorative arts at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where she later served on the board for 13 years. Interior designer is another of her titles, and she recently redesigned the presidential suite at the five-star Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow, appointing it with English antiques. She is also an author, tracing palace intrigues in Renaissance France in her latest history book, The Serpent and the Moon (Touchstone). Prior to the Moscow show (May 28–June 4), Art & Antiques caught up with the princess, who keeps her most-coveted art object a closely guarded secret, but shares several tips for collectors.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ANTIQUES?
My taste is quite eclectic, but I do prefer English furniture, French objets d’art, and German and Chinese porcelain. Of course, others creep into my collections. I am not nationalistic about them. My love is for beauty as I see it, wherever it comes from. One of my collections consists of Meissen animals from the 18th century, but to make it harder, I insist that they are freestanding, not on bases. I have around 30 pieces now and there were not many more made, so I will have to move onto collecting something else soon.
YOUR FAVORITE PORCELAIN ACCOMPANIMENT?
I have a collection of hand-painted 18th-century fans all framed on my bedroom walls.
MOST IMPORTANT FIND
Possibly a Russian inlaid marquetry games table, a lovely 18th-century piece now at Partridge and for sale. I also have a small collection of Fabergé animals. Once, at a London street market, I found a dove with tiny ruby eyes the size of a pinhead, carved out of a soft cream stone from the Urals. To most people it would have looked like a netsuke, but I recognized the model and knew it was a Fabergé piece. It cost £120, so I was very pleased.
DO YOU COLLECT CONTEMPORARY ART?
No, I do not. I do not feel it really works in my interiors, although I do enjoy some of the contemporary art I see in the houses of friends. I buy new paintings, but they are invariably figurative.
OF THE PALACES YOU HAVE VISITED, WHICH COLLECTION IMPRESSES YOU MOST?
FOR MORE INFORMATION The Moscow World Fine Art Fair |
Without a doubt, the collections of Her Majesty The Queen. These collections were begun long ago and added to by each sovereign, so that one can truly say they encompass the best of the best.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR BIGGEST CAREER MISTAKE?
Not working for Partridge sooner and having the pleasure of buying beautiful things with someone else’s money and not having the problem of where to put them. [George I japanned bureau cabinet, left, c. 1715, attributed to John Belchier, blue and gold japanning and carved giltwood, Partridge Fine Arts, will be at the Moscow Fair.] If I could afford to buy all the lovely things I see, I would have to acquire more and more houses—rather like Madame de Pompadour. Following her death, it took two years of sales to disperse all her superb collections.
MOST VALUABLE ADVICE
Collecting is more fun when you are knowledgeable. All art you choose to love and buy must give you a gut reaction of some kind. If you find you like something and want to have more examples, try to learn all you can about that subject and become an expert.
YOUR NEXT PLANNED PURCHASE
I am tempted by one or two things I saw at Maastricht and which we may buy for Partridge. If I tell you, I have no doubt the price will go up or the object of my desire will be snapped up by someone else, so I must keep it a secret.