The plate with a view of the Sarov Monastery was produced in 1903 at the porcelain factories of the Kuznetsov Brothers.
The Kuznetsovs manufactured porcelain and earthenware products in the Russian Empire at the turn of the 20th century. In the late 19th century, Matvey Sidorovich Kuznetsov merged 18 of his enterprises, including eight porcelain and earthenware factories, to create the Partnership for the Production of Porcelain and Earthenware Products. All products were marked with the single brand “The Partnership of M. S. Kuznetsov.” By 1898, the Partnership was the largest company of its type in Europe. In the early 20th century, approximately two-thirds of Russian porcelain was manufactured at its factories. The Kuznetsov products replaced German, French, and English porcelain on the markets in Persia, Afghanistan, Mongolia, and other Asian countries. The Kuznetsov porcelain became one of the most well-known Russian brands.
In 1902, Matvey Kuznetsov was awarded the title of the Supplier to the Court of His Imperial Majesty. Around the same time, on the eve of celebrations, the factory received a commission to make products featuring views of the Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God of Sarov. The monastery planned to give such products to the guests and later sell them to pilgrims as souvenirs of their visit to Sarov.
The displayed plate with a view of the Sarov Monastery dates back to the early 20th century. The plate depicts views from the Satis River, from the northern side of the Sarov Monastery. Such a panorama was revealed to the eyes of pilgrims arriving from Arzamas. This was the route, from which the emperor arrived in Sarov with his family and a large entourage for the festivities dedicated to the canonization of Saint Seraphim in July 1903.
Pilgrimage appeared in Russia soon after the Christianization in 988 but it was only in the 19th century that it became a significant phenomenon. Thousands, even hundreds of thousands, started visiting holy places. It was not only Palestine or Mount Athos that they wished to travel to. They also wanted to see and pray at the shrines on Russian soil.
Orthodox believers sought to capture the events of their pilgrimages in their memories. One of the ways was to bring back souvenirs from their travels. Porcelain produced by the Kuznetsov Partnership became a popular choice for these souvenirs.
