Pair 19th C, English Regency Papier-Mâché & Painted Cachepots Equestrian Scenes

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Pair of 19th Century, English Regency Period Papier-Mâché & Painted Cachepots with Classical Equestrian Battle Scenes

An unusual and finely … Read more Pair of 19th Century, English Regency Period Papier-Mâché & Painted Cachepots with Classical Equestrian Battle Scenes

An unusual and finely contoured pair of Regency period papier-mâché cachepots, English, dating to the early 19th century. These sculptural vessels are distinguished by their elegantly flared, saddle-shaped rims—evocative of early neoclassical forms—and are set upon four paw-form feet rendered in painted metal or japanned wood. The outward surfaces are decorated with painted vignettes depicting dynamic classical equestrian battle scenes. On one side, mounted cavalrymen engage in pursuit with drawn sabers; on the opposite, figures lead rearing horses, some with dramatic gestural silhouettes. Though now partially worn and subdued by age and craquelure, the scenes remain discernible, suggesting an origin within the romantic historicism of the Napoleonic or Crimean eras, in keeping with the era’s interest in antique and military iconography.

The cachepots are constructed in layered and lacquered papier-mâché, a favored medium of the period for lightweight yet durable decorative furnishings. The warm ochre ground is richly patinated with a surface network of craquelure, bearing the hallmarks of original finish and age. The interiors have been later relined in an ivory-toned coating for protection and possible reuse, though without compromising the authenticity of the exterior finish.

Measuring 11.5 inches wide, 6.625 inches deep, and 7 inches high, these cachepots represent a rare survival of early 19th-century decorative arts blending classical imagery with English Regency ingenuity. Likely intended for domestic display or as functional jardinières, they are exemplary of a transitional aesthetic merging Empire taste with vernacular whimsy. See less