A marble vase and cover on a wooden pedestal
Category
Art / Sculpture
Date
circa 1750 - 1780
Materials
Marble
Measurements
710 mm (Height); 460 mm (Diameter)
Order this imageCollection
Osterley Park and House, London
NT 772412.1
Summary
One of a pair of white solid marble vases, baluster shaped with detachable cover at top and associated pedestal. The vase is decorated throughout, mainly with gadrooning, acanthus and stylised palmettes. The form and decoration of the vase and its pair are loosely based on the Medici Vase, a bronze reproduction of which is at Osterley (NT 771969.2). The main fields occupied by marine scenes carved in relief. On one side a nereid (perhaps Amphitrite, wife of the sea god Neptune) seated on dolphin, embraced by a triton, drapery billowing behind, another triton blowing on conch shell and at right Cupid flying in and about to loose an arrow. On the other side a nereid seated on an icthyocentaur who balances basket of fruit on his head, at left a triton with conch proffers a bowl of shells. At each side a handle in form of inverted acanthus shoots, terminating in female heads. Marble cover with wreath decoration and pine cone shaped finial. The vase sits upon a wooden painted pedestal. Three of the four faces are decorated with applied carving consisting of a central motif of acanthus leaves, in front of which hangs swags of oak leaves with laurel pendants. The base has a moulding of ribbon and rosette round the top. The flat top has bead-and-reel, egg-and-dart and acanthus tip mouldings round the edge.
Provenance
First recorded in the 1782 inventory of Osterley Park as in the Marble Hall. By descent to George Francis Child-Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (1910–1998). Given to the National Trust in 1949 by George Francis Child-Villiers, 9th Earl of Jersey (1910-1998).
Credit line
National Trust Collections (Osterley Park, The Jersey Collection)
References
Tomlin, 1986: Maurice Tomlin. “The 1782 inventory of Osterley Park.” Furniture History 22 (1986): pp.107-134., p.122 'Four elegant Marble Vases with Basic Relieve figures on carved and painted Pedestals'. Inventory of Osterley Park, 1871., p. 118 List of the China at Osterley Park, Middlesex, and at Middleton Park Oxford. Scheduled and valued for exemption under the best advice obtainable July 1915., p. 306 Clifford Smith, H: An Inventory and Valuation of the Works of Art of the State Rooms at Osterley Park, Isleworth. London, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Art Library, 1939., p. 43