Pair 19th Century French Verdigris Spelter Vases on Marble Bases Signed Moreau

$1,800

About

Decorate a mantel, console or buffet with this elegant pair of antique vases. Crafted in France circa 1880 and made of spelter (or white metal), the vases stand on a square red marble base. Signed on the base by French sculptor Francois H Moreau, both vessels dressed with top handles, depict the “time of harvesting”; they are decorated with young females in high reliefs, one picking up grapes, the other gathering wheat bundles. Both vases are embellished with grape and vine medallions in the center and farmers at work. The Napoleon III decorative vessels are in excellent condition and adorn a rich patinated verdigris finish with gilt accents. Hippolyte Francois Moreau (1832-1927) was a French sculptor famous for his bronze statuettes of young women. Born in Dijon, France as the son of the renowned sculptor Jean-Baptiste Moreau, he grew up learning from his father’s workshop. As a young man, Moreau moved to Paris to study further under Francois Jouffroy at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, first exhibiting at the Salon of French artists in 1863 and continuing to show work there until 1914. In both 1878 and 1900, he won medals for his work—large-scale, decorative pieces such as vases and statuettes—at the Universal Exposition in Paris. Among his notable sculptures is his 1880 statue of the celebrated French mathematician Alexis Clairaut, which now permanently occupies one of the facades of the City Hall of Paris. He died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, and today many of his works are collected in the Museum of Fine Arts in Dijon. Listed in the Benezit (see last picture). 6″W x 6″D x 17″H

Additional information