Pair Of Large Carved Alabaster Ewers - Italy, Late 19th Century

Impressive pair of large carved alabaster ewers, resting on rectangular molded bases. The ovoid body, finely carved in high relief with foliage scrolls, flowers and plant garlands, stands on a fluted pedestal with gadrooned decoration. Each piece is distinguished by a spectacular handle in the form of a howling fantastic dragon, stylized in the manner of Mannerist grotesques. The sinuous handles in openwork volutes evoke the arabesques of Baroque art, while the plant elements accentuate the refinement of the composition. The whole is of great theatricality, between mythological bestiary and neo-Renaissance ornamentation, very fashionable at the end of the 19th century in Italy, particularly in Florence and Rome, where we see the emergence of a decorative production inspired by ancient and Mannerist models. Wear from use and some losses and accidents.