'AMUSEMENT' CLOSED WINTER SLEIGH. MOSCOW, 1689 - 1692

The winter "amusement" sledge was executed by craftsmen of the Moscow Kremlin Stables Workshops in 1689-1692. There is no other museum in the world having carriages like this one in its collection. The sledge was called "amusement" because it was used for games and amusements of tsarina Ekaterina, a young daughter of Tsar Ivan Alexeyevich, brother and co-ruler of Tsar Peter I.

The closed body of the carriage is placed on sleigh runners; mica windows are adorned with thin tin strips; the upholstery inside the sleigh is made of scarlet taffeta, and the sides of the body are upholstered with embossed red leather. Relief images of graceful putti, exotic animals and birds testify of the Kremlin masters' awareness of motives of the popular Baroque style at that time.

Despite the entertaining function and small size of the carriage, it gives an idea of how ceremonial winter equipages of the 17th century looked like.