The Raphael Service, the most significant formal service from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was commissioned in 1883 for the
Great Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo. The design was developed under the direction of the head of the painting workshop of Imperial
Porcelain Factory - Leonard Leonardovich Schaufelberger. The classical scenes found throughout the service were inspired by drawings
after frescoes by Raphael in the loggias of the Vatican.
Emperor Alexander III personally supervised the making of the service and made his own corrections to the designs. Items of the service
were presented to the Emperor on completion every year as Christmas gifts. In all, the service took twenty years to complete. In 1903 the
service amounting to fifty covers was completed and put into the palace storerooms. The service was transferred for the personal use of
Empress Maria Feodrovna to the Anichkov Palace in 1904.
Great Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo. The design was developed under the direction of the head of the painting workshop of Imperial
Porcelain Factory - Leonard Leonardovich Schaufelberger. The classical scenes found throughout the service were inspired by drawings
after frescoes by Raphael in the loggias of the Vatican.
Emperor Alexander III personally supervised the making of the service and made his own corrections to the designs. Items of the service
were presented to the Emperor on completion every year as Christmas gifts. In all, the service took twenty years to complete. In 1903 the
service amounting to fifty covers was completed and put into the palace storerooms. The service was transferred for the personal use of
Empress Maria Feodrovna to the Anichkov Palace in 1904.
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