Ignaty Sazikov

Jeweller, silversmith, goldsmith, industrialist, merchant. Hallmark: ?? or ???????? in a rectangle. Born in the family of Pavel Fyodorovich in the village of Vokhna (now Pavlovsky Posad) in Moscow Province (1793). Moved with his family to Moscow (1796) and adopted the surname of Sazikov (1811). Trained under his father (1810s) and studied the technical and artistic approaches of foreign jewellers in Europe (1820s). Inherited his father’s workshop (1830), which was awarded factory status (1836). Appointed purveyor of silverware to Tsar Nicholas I (1837). Introduced the system of the division of labour (1830s) and imported the country’s first rose engine from France (1843). Founded a school for eighty goldsmiths and silversmiths (1845). Opened a factory in St Petersburg (1845) and two shops on Nevsky Prospekt (1846). Awarded the title of non-class artist (1850). Sculpted a Russian knight in the Neo-Russian style for the London Service of the future Tsar Alexander II (1852–56). Awarded the right to display the imperial court of arms (1857). Employed eighty craftsmen (1863). Died and buried at the Don Monastery in Moscow (1868), where his work was continued by his sons Sergei Sazikov (1823–1880) and Valentin Sazikov (1830–1877), whose heirs sold the business to Ivan Khlebnikov (1887). Contributed to the Pan-Russian Exhibitions of Art and Industry in Moscow (1835, 1853) and St Petersburg (1849, 1861, 1865), Great Exhibition in London (1851, gold medal), Exposition Universelle in Paris (1867, Légion d’honneur), World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893), Golden Treasure Trove of the Russian Museum at the Russian Museum in St Petersburg (1998), Monuments of Armenian Art from the Hermitage Collection at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg (2001–02), Empress Maria Fedorovna: A Life and Fate at the Federal Archives Exhibition Hall in Moscow (2006), Windows of Heaven at New Orleans Museum of Art in New Orleans (2007), Russian Silver of the 18th–20th Centuries from the Collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums at the Samara Regional Museum of Art in Samara (2007–08), Russian Silver (18th to Early 20th Centuries) at the Ivan Shemanovsky Museum and Exhibition Complex of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District in Salekhard (2010–11), Golden Age of Russian Jewellery Art at the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum Complex of History, Architecture and Art in Vladimir (2010–11), Gold: Metal of Gods and King of Metals at the History Museum in Moscow (2012) and Il gioielliere degli ultimi Zar at La Venaria Reale in Turin (2012).