Pair 18 C. Sevres Porcelain Faux Porphyry Vases w/ Blue Script Sevres R.F. Mark

Description

An Incredible and Very Rare Pair of 18th Century Sevres Porcelain Faux Porphyry Vases with Blue Script Sevres R.F. Marks. Each features a classic form with flared necks and bulbous bodies that taper down to faux marble bases. The vases depict pastoral scenes after the Dutch painter Nicolaes Berchem (1620-1683). Berchem was renowned for his Italianate landscapes populated with peasants and animals, often infused with a romantic, idyllic atmosphere. One vase illustrates peasant farmers moving livestock along a road, including a ferrier shoeing a donkey. This scene likely draws from Berchem's frequent depictions of rural life and livestock management. The reverse of this vase presents either a solitary figure in a landscape or a ruin, enhancing the narrative quality of the piece and reflecting the 18th-century fascination with classical antiquity and picturesque decay. The second vase mirrors the design of the first, also featuring similar pastoral motifs. This symmetry in design was typical of decorative pairs intended for display in grand interiors. Both vases are accented with gilt bifurcated loop handles with berried terminals, adding a touch of elegance. The gilt detailing is finely applied, highlighting the vases' contours and demonstrating the exceptional skill of Sèvres' gilders. The coral ground of these vases is particularly noteworthy. Achieving such a vibrant and even color in porcelain was a significant technical challenge, requiring precise control of the firing process and pigment composition. This rare color made these vases highly prized and expensive items when they were produced. These vases are marked with blue script Sèvres R.F. marks indicative of the Republic Française period, which began in 1792 following the French Revolution. This dating is significant as it places the vases' production during a tumultuous time in French history, when the Sèvres manufactory was transitioning from royal to national ownership. One vase includes an indistinctly incised "SD V GREC" mark. The provenance of these vases is also noteworthy. They were once part of the Trust of Dr. William P. Harbeson. Their appearance at a Sotheby's Park Bernet auction in New York in April 1972. Their later ownership by William N. Banks, Jr. from Georgia, a recognized collector and preservationist, highlights their significance in decorative arts. These vases represent not only the high level of artistic and technical achievement at the Sèvres manufactory but also reflect the changing tastes and political climate of late 18th-century France. They embody the transition from the opulent Rococo style favored by the previous political power to the more restrained Neoclassicism of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras, while still maintaining a link to earlier artistic traditions through their pastoral scenes.

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