DESIGNED BY FERDINAND LEVILLAIN, CAST BY FERDINAND BARBEDIENNE, PARIS, CIRCA 1880

Details

A PAIR OF LARGE FRENCH NEO-GREC ORMOLU AMPHORA-SHAPED VASES
Designed by Ferdinand Levillain, Cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne, Paris, Circa 1880
Each with gadrooned overhanging rim above a waisted neck raised with bearded satyr masks supporting foliate and fruit swags, the shoulder cast with trailing flowers, the tapering body with upper band cast with birds, wild animals, herms, pots and vases of fruit, above central bands, on one side depicting a seated youth supporting a basket of ducks and a rabbit, conversing with a maiden carrying a fruit-laden basket, the reverse side depicting a peacock, goat and altars supporting baskets of fruit, applied with a pair of loop handles raised with a satyr and ram and with anthemion terminals, above a guilloche band and seated sphinxes among scrolling foliage, with fluted lower section, supported on triple anthemion-cast lion-paw monopodiae, the interior of each with zinc liner
52in. (132cm.) high (2)

Provenance

Purchased Sotheby Parke Bernet, Los Angeles, 2 June 1980, lot 503.

Lot Essay

These large tripod-supported Grecian vases, with altar-decorated
bas-reliefs and inscribed prayers to a goddess, would originally have
been conceived as oil-lamps. An example of the collaboration between
Ferdinand Levillain (d.1905), the late 19th century
sculpteur-ornemaniste, and Ferdinand Barbedienne (d.1892), perhaps the most celebrated bronzier of the same era, this model vase was first shown at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1878 (see the Exhibition catalogue illustration opposite). See lot 254 for a further note on Ferdinand Barbedienne.

A pair of parcel-gilt patinated-bronze examples of these vases, signed by both Levillain and Barbedienne, were sold Christie's London, 29 February 1996, lot 24 (£12,000).

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