Pair of 19th Century French Moustiers Faience Vases with Ram’s Head Handles

$2,800

About

This elegant pair of large antique 19th century Moustiers faience vases, executed circa 1870 in the Neoclassical (Louis XVI Revival) style, reflects the distinguished tin-glazed ceramic tradition of southern France. Each vase features a baluster-form body resting on a molded foot and is fitted with sculptural ram’s head masks at the shoulders, issuing boldly twisted double handles. The classical symmetry and ornament are hallmarks of Neoclassical design inspired by Greco-Roman models. The vases are richly hand-painted with pastoral figural scenes set within scrolling cartouches, surrounded by dense polychrome floral decoration in tones of blue, green, ochre, and manganese over a luminous white ground. The palette and decorative vocabulary draw directly from 18th century Moustiers and Louis XVI precedents, revived during the 19th century for decorative display. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie has been a leading center of French faience since the late 17th century, celebrated for its refined tin-glazed wares and classical ornament. By the 19th century, workshops produced large decorative vases such as these, intended for architectural display rather than everyday use. Both vases are glazed throughout and marked on the underside, consistent with Moustiers faience of this period, and remain in excellent antique condition, with light wear consistent with age and hand manufacture. Highly decorative and substantial in scale, this matched pair would make a striking statement on a mantel, console, or entryway. Dimensions (each): 11″ W x 9.5″ D x 18.5″ H

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