When we think about royalty, we often imagine gilded thrones and ornate drawing rooms. But according to German troops in World War II, Catherine the Great’s furniture went way beyond your average aristocratic flair.
The last reigning empress regnant of Russia, Catherine II, allegedly surrounded herself with pieces that were not only luxurious but also wildly provocative. The Russian empress Catherine, who ruled from 1762 to 1796, had a keen eye for aesthetics, politics and, yes, custom made furniture.
She was no stranger to scandal, and her legendary erotic furniture has kept tongues wagging for centuries. Stories of Catherine’s private life, whether inflated by political enemies or romanticized in pop culture, paint a vivid picture of a woman who lived unapologetically.
