catalog text
GRAND TOUR "BACCHANALIA" BRONZE CASSOLETTE AFTER CLAUDE MICHEL CLODION
Patinated and burnished bronze, polished brass, verde marble
France, cast circa 1870
Item # 309SWK07P
A very finely cast and finished Napoleon III period vasiform urn, it is an exquisite sand-cast creation utilizing bronze and brass to create an extraordinary contrast between materials. The body of the vase is rich in a dark-brown chemical patina that positively glows around the bas-relief Bacchanalia scene of putto playing a tug-of-war type game, carrying wine glasses and bunches of grapes and one walking with a thrysus raised over his shoulder while roaring animal heads flank either end with polished bronze garlands of water-leaves and berries draped between. The lid and neck are crafted of polished brass, which gives a cooler tone to the brilliant shine of the metal. The urn is raised over a shaped verde marble base and finished over a polished brass rim affixed on the underside with slotted screws. After the models by Claude Michel Clodion.
Measurements: 13 3/4" H x 4 3/8" D x 4 1/2" W
Condition Report:
Very fine original condition, polished and waxed. A brilliant presentation.