Pair 19th Century French Rouen Faience Cachepots with Applied Masks

$1,600

About

Highly decorative and richly colored, this pair of antique faience cachepots displays the exuberant ornament associated with Rouen ceramics. Crafted in Rouen, France circa 1880, each jardinière is formed with a shaped rectangular body, pierced and scalloped upper rim, openwork sides, and four scrolling feet.

The white glazed bodies are entirely hand-painted in a vivid traditional palette of cobalt blue, iron red, ochre yellow, olive green, and manganese, with elaborate scrolling foliage, stylized flowers, diaper-patterned panels, and symmetrical ornamental motifs. The decoration is particularly dense and architectural, giving the pair a strong late 19th-century historicist character.

Each cachepot is further embellished with applied sculptural masks at the sides, modeled as fanciful grotesque or mascaron faces surrounded by scrolling foliage. These dimensional elements add depth and animation to the already richly decorated surfaces, while the pierced cresting along the rim provides a light and delicate contrast.

Raised on four shaped feet, the vessels have a pronounced Rococo Revival silhouette and were likely intended as decorative jardinières or cachepots for displaying small plants or floral arrangements. The underside of one example bears a painted numerical mark, while the other retains an old French paper label.

A colorful and unusual matched pair, these antique Rouen faience cachepots would make a striking addition to a mantel, console, buffet, or center table.

Excellent condition commensurate with age and use, with minor wear and surface irregularities consistent with hand-crafted antique faience.

Dimensions: 11” W x 7” D x 8” H each

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