Large Medici Vase In Patinated Bronze, 20th Century, Decorated In The Antique Style

This Medici-shaped chalice vase, with a foot and supported by a circular base, displays a Neo-Greek aesthetic with motifs inspired by the plant and animal world.

Its finely sculpted decoration employs a vocabulary of naturalistic forms. The base is decorated with teardrop-shaped gadroons surmounted by a fluted ring. The body comprises two registers. In the lower register, high-relief acanthus leaves rise up, following the rounded shape of the body, while in the upper register, a frieze of flowering scrolls unfolds against a background scattered with rosettes, creating a striking decorative effect. The upper rim of this krater flares into a lip to which is attached a zoomorphic ornament: a lion protome erect within a shell-shaped basin. A one-legged feline paw follows the conch shell, resting on the muzzle of a roe deer positioned at the base of the body. The decorative repertoire employed incorporates goldsmithing techniques such as "speckled backgrounds." The use of pecking allows the light to catch and highlights smooth elements, as seen here; the scrolling, flowering foliage stands out against the background scattered with peckled rosettes. Beyond its dimensions, this vase is distinguished by its strong pursuit of naturalism. This naturalism, evident in the plant and animal motifs and the rendering of textures, testifies to great technical mastery and a very particular sensitivity.

Good condition, some minor deformations are present (see photos).

Dimensions: Height: 59 cm, Width: 58.5 cm, Depth: 32.5 cm