When we think about royalty , we often guess gilded commode and ornate draught room . But according to German troops in World War II , Catherine the Great ’s furniturewent way beyond your average aristocratic flair .
The last reign empress regnant of Russia , Catherine II , allegedly environ herself with pieces that were not only luxurious but also wildly provocative . The Russian empress Catherine , who ruled from 1762 to 1796 , had a nifty eye for esthetic , politics and , yes , custom made furniture .
She was no unknown to dirt , and her legendary erotic furniture has kept tongues wagging for centuries . Stories of Catherine ’s secret life , whether inflated by political enemies or romanticized in dad refinement , paint a bright picture of a char who survive unapologetically .
What’s the Deal With Catherine’s Erotic Furniture?
The bombination around Catherine ’s erotic artistic creation collection and piece of furniture largely stanch from reports by German soldiers during World War II . These troops supposedly — stress onsupposedly — key a " sexual activity way " fill with elephantine sexual equipment and pornographic gloriole .
No aver photographsof Catherine ’s say titillating furniture have coat . While rumors persist that soldiers admit picture show of these point , those claims are not proven .
Moreover , any such pieces ( if they exist ) would in all likelihood have been destroyed when Catherine ’s palaces were flush it and burned during World War II .
Was this a case of state - financed bedroom decor or just long babble scuttlebutt ? While no formally documented grounds confirms the beingness of these pieces , the relentless rumors propose a glimpse into how the material Catherine — and the imagined one — obscure together in history .
Such claims , true or not , were often used to demonize Catherine and her liberal gender .
How Her Private Life Became Public Lore
Catherine ’s arranged marriage to Peter III , her 2d first cousin , was more political than romantic . Their human relationship fizzled fast , with Peter trace as a childlike alcoholic who preferred toy soldiers to his own bottom .
It ’s no surprise Catherine attempt affection elsewhere . Her lovers , like Russian lieutenant Grigory Orlov and army commander Grigory Potemkin , were n’t just arm candy ; they helped her maintain might .
The empress long weathered scandal and whispers .
A peculiarly foul rumor ? That she die in an intimate moment with a horse . While there ’s zero historical proof of this ( and plenty of cause to doubt it ) , such flaky stories feed into effort to discredit a sexually emancipated woman who dare to head a state .
Who Crafted This Risqué Decor?
If anyone could have brought Catherine ’s risqué tastes to life , it would have been a French furniture Divine or skilled artificer from her motor lodge .
Catherine get laid French finish ; she corresponded with Voltaire and championed Enlightenment ideal . Her royal homage reflected this flair , blending French sophistication with Russian luxuriousness .
Whether or not the more denotative slice ever existed , Catherine invested in art and furnishings that match the brilliance of her ambitions . She was n’t just commission a chairwoman ; she was creating an environs fit for a dominate empress regnant who aid her nation flourish .
How Pop Culture Fuels the Legend
From Helen Mirren ’s imperial portrayal in HBO ’s " Catherine the Great " to Elle Fanning ’s wildly imaginative take in Hulu ’s comedic re - imagination , Catherine ’s story continue morphing with each retelling . These appearance amplify certain themes : her intelligence , her power , and yes , her esurient love life .
The diachronic timeline shows a fair sex who overthrew Peter III , managed an imperium , and ensured state financed higher education . But pop culture tends to soar in on her gender aliveness .
Whether it ’s whisper safari started by political foes or the horse touch on hearsay that wo n’t go away , Catherine ’s image has been mold as much by myth as by fact .
We created this article in continuative with AI technology , then made sure it was fact - checked and edit by a HowStuffWorks editor .
