Vase

This vase is one of a pair, with the other bearing the inventory number 400-0093. The artist’s signature found on one of the scenes on the body of the vase belongs to the German painter Charles Fuchs, who was active in the second half of the nineteenth century and signed his works on porcelain ‘Ch Fuchs’. This indicates that the vase can be dated to the Second Empire, a late Neoclassical period and style which takes its name from the reign of Napoleon III (1852-1870). The stamp underneath the lid of the vase features two intertwined ‘L’s reminiscent of Sèvres-style marks, with a capital ‘C’ in the middle and a capital ‘D’ immediately below. These letters typically refer to the production dates of pieces from the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. However, there is a discrepancy between the lifetime of the artist who signed the vase (nineteenth century) and the letter ‘C’ on the mark, which corresponds to 1756.
 
The lid, neck, body, and foot of the vase are made of porcelain. These pieces are connected to one another with gilt bronze elements. The bronze piece that connects the body of the vase to the foot is in the form of highly stylised leaves. The lid, neck, and foot of the vase are decorated with navy blue and gilded leaf and fleur-de-lis motifs. This symbol was used in the heraldry of numerous European nations, but is particularly associated with France’s monarchical period. The gilt bronze finial on the lid of the vase is in the shape of an upside down acorn. Its gilt bronze handles extend almost the entire length of its body, while its gilt bronze base is decorated with torches and floral motifs.
 
One side of the vase depicts a female figure in a garden, sitting on the edge of a stone fountain, surrounded by putti. The term putti (singular putto), denotes a mythological figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually naked and sometimes winged. The woman on the vase extends her arms, lovingly caressing the face of the putto across from her.
 
On the other side of the vase, two putti are shown on a boat in the middle of a lake with lotuses floating in it. One standing and the other seated, they are holding branches, playing with the water.