Lot 191
191
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
A MONUMENTAL ITALIAN STATUARY MARBLE CONSERVATORY CENTREPIECE, designed in the antique manner, with a giant wine krater vase standing on an octagonal altar pedestal, it's plinth with four scrolled escutcheons, embellished with Bacchic masks and ram's heads, alternating with Bacchic demi-lions emerging at the corners (one lacking). The vase handles carved as 'arabesque' winged mermaids, one with a griffin and the other with a lion head, the vase festooned with fruit garlanding Bacchus and Pan masks, and surmounted by two festive youths, who with their companions play music and dance round the base to celebrate the marriage of Psyche with Cupid, the God of Love. The pedestal rim incised with heraldic Italian escutcheons, it's canted corners festooned with ribbon-tied garlands. Four Scantily clad Bacchantes dance round the 'altar' while the winged loves or 'putti' tame the Bacchic lions on the plinth, (damages) third quarter 19th century

Details
A MONUMENTAL ITALIAN STATUARY MARBLE CONSERVATORY CENTREPIECE, designed in the antique manner, with a giant wine krater vase standing on an octagonal altar pedestal, it's plinth with four scrolled escutcheons, embellished with Bacchic masks and ram's heads, alternating with Bacchic demi-lions emerging at the corners (one lacking). The vase handles carved as 'arabesque' winged mermaids, one with a griffin and the other with a lion head, the vase festooned with fruit garlanding Bacchus and Pan masks, and surmounted by two festive youths, who with their companions play music and dance round the base to celebrate the marriage of Psyche with Cupid, the God of Love. The pedestal rim incised with heraldic Italian escutcheons, it's canted corners festooned with ribbon-tied garlands. Four Scantily clad Bacchantes dance round the 'altar' while the winged loves or 'putti' tame the Bacchic lions on the plinth, (damages) third quarter 19th century
112½in. (286cm.) high; 55in. (140cm.) wide.
Further details
END OF SALE

Lot Essay

The pedestalled vase celebrates the power of Love. It's virtuosity and exuberant carving reflects the work of the late 19th century sculptors such as that executed by the Rome trained American sculptor Thomas Waldo Story (d. 1915), whose patrons included the Astors and Rothschilds. It's type evolved from the related tripod pedestal for a vase, illustrated in the catalogue of the Crystal Palace Exhibition, London 1851, page 124.

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