CIRCA 1775-80, ONE INCISED S.T. AND CS

The intriguing decoration on the present vases is almost certainly emblematic of War and Peace - the vase illustrated on the right representing War with two little boys sitting in front of a tent preparing their weapons for battle, threatening thunder clouds in the distance; the vase on the left representing Peace with a little girl emblematic of France wearing a blue hat decorated with three fleurs-de-lys and a red plume tapping drumsticks against the stretched skin of a military drum, a little boy relaxing beneath a tree and playing a pipe, a gilt medallion within crossed palm fronds also decorated with three fleurs-de-lys leaning up against the base of the tree trunk, yellow and pink clouds scudding across a sunny sky in the background.

The miniatures are similar in style to the figure painting of Nicholas Dodin. Unfortunately, no entry corresponding to the present pair of vases is found in the reprint of the artist's payment records or to kiln records linked to his name listed at the back of last year's exhibition of Dodin's work held at the château de Versailles. Cf. Marie-Laure de Rochebrune, Charles Nicholas Dodin et la manufacture Vincennes-Sèvres - Splendeur de la peinture sur porcelaine au XVIIIe siècle, Exhibition Catalogue, château de Versailles, 15 May - 9 September 2012, pp. 225-232.