Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great, was Peter the Great’s successor. Usurping the crown from her husband, the unpopular Peter III, she was a German princess who became the longest-reigning Russian empress. 

Following the footsteps of Peter the Great, Catherine was a big proponent of the Enlightenment, an intellectual movement with a goal of improving society by challenging traditional and often supernatural beliefs with reason and logic. She implemented the Statute on the Provinces, which established local governments that lasted well into the 19th century. As she was a staunch supporter of education, Catherine created a national school system, and established the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, which was the first higher-education institution for women in Europe. She was also known for creating fairer, more liberal trade policies. 

As a patroness of the arts, she enjoyed corresponding with many artists and managed to acquire thousands of priceless pieces, including those created by masters such as Rembrandt and Rafael. This trove later became the foundation of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, which currently holds the largest collection of paintings in the world. She sponsored many architectural projects, continuing the legacy of Peter the Great by building neoclassical buildings and helping transform the former capital into the cultural center it is today. 

In honor of the progressive empress, Montblanc released the Patron of Art Catherine the Great, a beautifully-made partner to the Peter the Great fountain pen. Its base is aubergine-colored precious resin and has a rose gold-plated overlay inspired by traditional ornamental designs. It is very similar to the Peter the Great release, only that the ring near the finial is studded with rubies, and the two other cap rings are designed with wreaths of blossoms. The nib is made from 18-karat gold engraved with the Russian state symbol of the two-headed eagle. 

We have for sale a new-old-stock Montblanc Patron of Art Catherine the Great fountain pen (1997) with an M nib. It comes complete with its box, papers, and other inclusions. Pen photos shown are for reference use only. 

Length capped: 14.4 cm.