pair of empire medicis porcelain vases

Fine pair of Medicis vases in polychrome porcelain and gold with friezes depicting characters and scenes with subjects drawn from ancient mythology. On the first vase, the Judgment of Paris shows the young shepherd giving the golden apple to Venus, the goddess of love, preferred to Juno and Minerva, her rivals. In their neighborhood, Mercury and the peacock, Juno's attribute. The second vase is decorated with a winged and bearded old man who plays the lyre before a group of dancers composed by three girls wearing crowns and a turban, dressed in antique tunics and a young boy wearing a laurel wreath. Beside him, a lying Cupid holds the hourglass. The scene represents an allegory of Time, personified by Chronos, god of time and destiny in Greek mythology, easily recognizable thanks to his long gray beard. Busts on pedestals decorated with wreaths of flowers enliven the scenes. On the other side, two Muses are represented in the guise of two draped girls, floating in the celestial heights, holding a stick and branches. The base of each vase is decorated with gadroons animated with foliage and floral patterns. Two short golden handles ending with bearded masks flank each vase. Each vase rests on a rectangular pedestal in gilded bronze. Light wears to the gilding.


Circa :1820
Dim: W: 9,8 in - D: 9,8in - H: 13,4in.
Dim: L:25cm, P:25cm, H:34cm.

Antiques.co.uk Ref: 3BFN3922

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