Queen Marie of Romania (1875-1938) was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England on her father’s side and granddaughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia on her mother’s side. She was raised in England. She married Crown Prince Ferdinand of Romania in 1893. According to the display in the Maryhill Museum of Art:
“Although Marie had never been to Roumania before her marriage, she came to love her adopted country and wholeheartedly embraced Roumanian folk culture and tradition. Known in her lifetime as a beautiful celebrity, Marie was a skillful diplomat and an accomplished author and artist.”
Queen Marie first met Samuel Hill in 1893. In 1902 she met dancer Loie Fuller at the Romanian National Theater. In the aftermath of World War I, Queen Marie’s friendship with these two Americans was cemented when Samuel Hill, Loie Fuller, and Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, provide war relief to Romania. In 1926, Queen Marie dedicated the Maryhill Museum.
The Maryhill Art Museum near Goldendale, Washington has a large collection of Romanian items which had once belonged to Queen Marie. Most of these items were donated to the Museum by Alma Spreckels.
Shown above is a replica of Queen Marie’s Coronation Crown.
Shown above is Queen Marie’s desk from Cotroceni Palace. It was made about 1906 by an unknown Romanian artist. Queen Marie gave the desk to Alma Spreckels in 1922 and Alma donated it to the Maryhill Museum of Art.
Shown above are a table and chairs from the Cotroceni Palace made about 1901-1906.
Shown above is a chest made about 1905.
Shown above is a detail of the furniture carving.
Shown above is a wood-carved, gilded corner chair that belonged to Queen Marie.
Shown above is Queen Marie’s corner throne which was made for her in 1908. This was made while Marie was still Crown Princess.
Shown above is a bronze of King Alexander I (1888-1934) of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (which became Yugoslavia in 1929). He married Queen Marie’s daughter Mignon in 1922.
The cabinet shown above was designed by Queen Marie.
Shown above is an audience chair designed by Queen Marie. Queen Marie probably crafted the tooled leather back herself. She later gave the chair to Alma Spreckels and Alma gave it to the Maryhill Museum.
Shown above is a 1906 chair from Cotroceni Palace designed by Queen Marie. It is a copy of a medieval Norwegian bishop’s chair.
Shown above is the carving detail.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of various museums exhibits. More from the Maryhill Museum of Art:
Ancient Greece: Ceramics at the Maryhill Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Maryhill Sculpture Park (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Rodin at Maryhill (Photo Diary)
Maryhill Museum: An Overview (Photo Diary)
Indians 101: Mission Indian Baskets in the Maryhill Museum (Photo Diary)
Indians 101: Southwestern Pottery in the Maryhill Museum (Photo Diary)