Pair Of Empire Style Porcelain Vases, Swan And Fasces Decor

This pair of porcelain vases adopts a classical architecture directly inherited from Antiquity. Each vase rests on a square plinth base supporting a pedestal. The ovoid body flares upward to a neck crowned with a rolled lip. The structure is flanked by two sculptural handles shaped as downward-curving swan necks, with their beaks resting on the vase's shoulder. The entirety is covered in a deep "Empire green" glaze, offering a stark contrast with the gilded decorations.

The iconography of these pieces deploys the strict ornamental repertoire of the French First Empire. The center of the body is decorated with a fasces (a Roman axe bound in wooden rods symbolizing the Imperium, or supreme power) intersecting a victorious laurel wreath. The base of the body features a geometric pattern of overlapping scales, while the neck is highlighted by a frieze of stylized foliage. This martial and mythological vocabulary (the swan being the attribute of Apollo and the symbol of Empress Josephine) is characteristic of productions from Old Paris Porcelain (Porcelaine de Paris) or major French manufactories perpetuating the Napoleonic style.

Condition report: Very good overall condition. The porcelain is free of cracks or chips. The gilding displays excellent brilliance with minimal surface wear inherent to handling. A perfect illustration of neoclassical balance, this symmetrical pair is designed to authoritatively flank a clock on a mantelpiece, or adorn a fine console table.