Catherine the Great's Furniture: Erotic Easter Egg or Petty Hoax?

The buzz around Catherine's erotic art collection and furniture largely stems from reports by German soldiers during World War II. These troops supposedly — emphasis on supposedly — discovered a "sex room" filled with elephantine sexual equipment and pornographic glory.

No verified photographs of Catherine’s alleged erotic furniture have surfaced. While rumors persist that soldiers took pictures of these items, those claims are not proven.

Moreover, any such pieces (if they existed) would likely have been destroyed when Catherine’s palaces were bombed and burned during World War II.

Was this a case of state-financed bedroom decor or just long talked gossip? While no officially documented evidence confirms the existence of these pieces, the persistent rumors offer a glimpse into how the real Catherine — and the imagined one — blur together in history.

Such claims, true or not, were often used to demonize Catherine and her liberal sexuality.

Catherine's arranged marriage to Peter III, her second cousin, was more political than romantic. Their relationship fizzled fast, with Peter described as a childlike alcoholic who preferred toy soldiers to his own bed.

It's no surprise Catherine sought affection elsewhere. Her lovers, like Russian lieutenant Grigory Orlov and army commander Grigory Potemkin, weren't just arm candy; they helped her maintain power.

The empress long weathered scandal and whispers.

A particularly nasty rumor? That she died in an intimate moment with a horse. While there's zero historical proof of this (and plenty of reason to doubt it), such outlandish stories fed into efforts to discredit a sexually liberated woman who dared to lead a country.

If anyone could have brought Catherine's risqué tastes to life, it would have been a French furniture maker or skilled artisan from her court.

Catherine loved French culture; she corresponded with Voltaire and championed Enlightenment ideals. Her imperial court reflected this flair, blending French sophistication with Russian opulence.

Whether or not the more explicit pieces ever existed, Catherine invested in art and furnishings that matched the grandeur of her ambitions. She wasn't just commissioning a chair; she was creating an environment fit for a reigning empress regnant who helped her country flourish.

From Helen Mirren's regal portrayal in HBO's "Catherine the Great" to Elle Fanning's wildly imaginative take in Hulu's comedic re-imagination, Catherine's story keeps morphing with each retelling. These shows amplify certain themes: her intelligence, her power, and yes, her voracious love life.

The historical timeline shows a woman who overthrew Peter III, managed an empire, and ensured state financed higher education. But pop culture tends to zoom in on her sex life.

Whether it's whisper campaigns started by political foes or the horse related rumors that won’t go away, Catherine's image has been shaped as much by myth as by fact.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.