Pair of French Sèvres-Style Porcelain Vases With Gilt Bronze Mounts — Hand-Painted Gallant Scenes, Marked France, Late 19th C.

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Description

A charming and beautifully executed pair of French Sèvres-style porcelain vases, each hand-painted with animated gallant courting scenes in the … Read more A charming and beautifully executed pair of French Sèvres-style porcelain vases, each hand-painted with animated gallant courting scenes in the fête galante tradition — the quintessential decorative subject of 18th-century French painting as interpreted by the great porcelain decorators of the late 19th century.

THE PAINTING
Each vase body carries a distinct scene: a couple in 18th-century court dress — the gentleman in a blue coat and plumed hat, the lady in pink and yellow holding a basket of roses — rendered with lively, confident brushwork against a soft landscape ground of muted lavenders and earth tones. The facial expressions and costume detail are notably well-executed for production porcelain of this period, reflecting the influence of Watteau and Fragonard whose work inspired a century of fête galante decoration across French factories.

THE FORM & MOUNTS
The elegantly elongated ovoid bodies rise from slender waisted pedestals to beaded rope-collar necks, crowned with a wide flared rim. Twin scrolled acanthus gilt bronze handles anchor the shoulder; a lotus-leaf knop marks the waist; an octagonal panelled bronze base with laurel wreath border grounds the composition. The interplay of warm gilt bronze against the crisp white porcelain body is particularly effective.

THE MARKS
Both vases bear a blue painted maker's monogram — visible inside the neck and at the underfoot. The bronze base is stamped "FRANCE," confirming production post-1891 for the American export market. These are properly marked, genuinely French pieces — not later reproductions.

A versatile pair: equally at home flanking a mantelpiece, anchoring a console, or dressing a sideboard. Sold as a pair only.

Origin: France
Period: Late 19th to early 20th century, circa 1891–1910
Style: Louis XVI Revival, fête galante, Sèvres-style
Dimensions (each): 13¼" H × 4⅜" W
Condition: Good antique condition. Wear to gilt on bronze mounts consistent with age. Gentle wear to porcelain. Presents very well as a matched pair. See less