Pair of Vases
c. 1750
Medium
Hard paste porcelain and gilded bronze
Dimensions
Height: 35.5 cm. (14 in.), Width: 32.5 cm. (12, 3/4 in.)
Classification
vase
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
260343
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The deep-red glaze of these imported Chinese vases would have astonished Parisian consumers in the 1700s. The gilded bronze mounts were added in Paris by a specialist dealer in luxury goods. Known as marchands-merciers, these skillful tastemakers were famous for adapting and embellishing imported Asian commodities. The mounts were probably designed by Jean-Claude Duplessis, a sculptor and goldsmith who provided French manufacturers with innovative designs for porcelain and metalwork. The vases w...