CIRCA 1700, PROBABLY BY DE GRIEKSCHE A

Details

A very large Dutch Delft blue and white mythological garden urn
Circa 1700, probably by de Grieksche A
(Jardinière) in the Baroque style, inspired by the designs of Daniel Marot, with a frontal scene depicting carousing putti disguised as a garden fountain in a pond, flanked by washed trees and shrubbery, further with putti holding a single flower, the reverse with a mythological scene depicting Mercury and Argus (Metamorphoses 1:668-721), Argus depicted as a brawny shepherd nods off to sleep seated under a tree, Mercury wearing a winged hat (Petasus) plays a pipe lulling Argus into sleep, the heifer Io browses nearby and is flanked by her guard Argus, distant figures run under a cloud supporting Juno, the sides with exuberant foliage applied with two large boy mascaroon handles in relief, the domed base with acanthus leaves alternating roundels
43,5cm high
See illustration

Special notice

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Lot Essay

One of Jupiter's many loves was Io, a princess of Argos, but the affair was frustrated by Juno his wife and she turned Io into a white heifer, Mercury was sent by Jupiter to kill Argus the guard of Io, Mercury starts by lulling him into sleep with his flute.
Cf. A.M.L.E. Erkelens, Ceramics at het Loo from the time of William and Mary (Zwolle 1996), p.137 nr.33 for very similar carousing putti and washed trees and the concept of a baroque garden fountain on a covered pot on display at het Loo, Amersfoort and a vase with similar scene in the Fitzwilliam museum, Cambridge and p.111 nr.23 for a garden urn on square foot with related scenes and concept.

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