19th Century, Copeland Neoclassical Parianware "3 Graces" Centerpiece C. 1880

Details

Description

The centerpiece is modeled entirely in creamy Parian with a soft, satin sheen that reads like finely waxed marble. Three … Read more The centerpiece is modeled entirely in creamy Parian with a soft, satin sheen that reads like finely waxed marble. Three full-length maidens stand shoulder to shoulder on a trefoil plinth, their weight subtly shifted so that the hems of their gowns just brush the base. The sculptor’s attention to anatomy and drapery is unusually crisp for Parian: fingers are slender and evenly tapered, the clavicles and collarbones sit naturally beneath the bodices, and each figure’s high-waisted gown is gathered into small, rounded knots at the sleeves before falling in long, quiet folds to bare toes. Braided hair frames three distinct, calm faces—no repetition of a single mold—and the heads carry a wide, open basket. That basket is pierced in a sharp, diamond trellis that is cleanly cut front and back, not simply relieved on the surface, and it is cinched by a frieze of upright palmettes. The rim is finished with a continuous beaded and leaf-molded edge that feels robust to the touch rather than thin or friable. A matching lotus-and-arcaded molding runs around the stepped plinth so that the ornament echoes top and bottom and visually locks the composition together. The whole is well balanced; the mass of the figures rises confidently into the flare of the basket, but the base retains enough breadth to keep the piece steady when the bowl is laden.

Casting and assembly are high quality. Seams along the figure joins are tight and carefully chased, with no distracting ridges where the arms meet the torsos or where the skirts meet the base. The latticework is even and symmetrical, with consistent bar widths and clean miters at the intersections. The interior of the bowl is smooth and lightly dished, indicating it was intended to hold fruit, flowers, or potpourri without snagging. The impressed COPELAND mark is neatly struck on the front of the plinth, and the Parian body has that desirable, very slightly warm tone rather than stark white, which softens the modeling and brings out the fine toolwork around the hair and leaf collars.



Measures: 21.5" h x 10" w. See less