Neoclassical Solid Silver And Cut Crystal Drageoir, Allegorical Decor Of Cupid And Goat

Silver drageoir of oval form, resting on a spreading foot encircled by a palmette frieze and a finely fluted ring. The cut crystal liner displays a refined pattern of alternating ovolo friezes.
The lid is decorated at the shoulder with a matte-ground frieze of wheat ears and swans drinking from a gushing fountain. It is crowned with a sculptural finial representing a swan with outstretched wings, poised atop a marine conch.
On either side, elegant scroll-shaped handles extend outward: their lower parts are embellished with antique-style cuffs, while the upper sections feature richly chiselled cornucopias filled with scrolling foliage, acanthus leaves, flowers, and rosettes. The terminals are adorned with garlands of fruit and flowers, including oranges, pears, split pomegranates and vine tendrils.
The pierced silver body reveals sheaves of wheat on the lateral panels. At the centre, a finely rendered mythological scene depicts a Cupid feeding a goat in a bucolic setting — a poetic and allegorical composition evoking a theme cherished in Neoclassical art: the tempering of instinct through civilising gentleness.

Gross weight: 793 grams

Net silver weight: 440 grams

• Laurel branch
• French swan import mark
• Unidentified foreign marks

European work, circa 1820–1830

Condition report
Very good condition.

This drageoir’s distinctive central motif is rooted in Greco-Roman iconography, reinterpreted during the late 18th century as part of a scholarly rediscovery of classical antiquity. Cupid — a symbol of both innocence and civilising power — is shown interacting with a goat, a creature linked to Pan and Dionysian imagery, often embodying instinct and wild vitality. The scene illustrates a key Enlightenment ideal: that love and tenderness can tame even the most primal forces.
This allegorical reading, blending charm with moral depth, is typical of the Neoclassical decorative vocabulary that flourished from the 1780s onwards. The overall design — palmettes, ovolos, wheat sheaves, swans, garlands of fruit, and voluted handles — places this piece firmly within the classical tradition.

Inspired by the aesthetics of harmony and abundance, every detail contributes to a vision where nature, culture, and virtue are in perfect accord. The swan, associated with Venus and Apollo, adds an air of grace and refinement to this inspired ensemble.

Though executed in the early 19th century, the drageoir is a continuation of the Neoclassical taste cultivated under Louis XVI and carried through the Directoire and Empire periods.