Pair Of Terracotta Basins Signed Antoinetti Siena, Italy 19th Century

A striking pair of large, molded terracotta basins, of Tuscan origin, attributed to the Antoinetti workshop in Siena, and dating from the 19th century.
These beautifully large basins adopt an elegant Medici form, resting on a circular pedestal extended by a quadrangular base. Their balanced, architectural lines are fully in keeping with the neoclassical taste, very much in vogue in 19th-century Italian gardens.
The decoration, finely molded in light relief, consists of:
a Greek frieze running below the upper rim,a central motif representing an eagle with outstretched wings resting on a lictor beam, directly inspired by the ancient repertoire and imperial iconography.

• This decorative vocabulary, both sober and powerful, lends the whole a particularly assertive sculptural presence.
  The terracotta, dense and of fine quality, today shows a remarkable old patina, the result of long outdoor exposure. The brown, blackened and slightly oxidized nuances contribute fully to the aesthetics and authenticity of these pieces.
  Both basins bear a legible indented mark "...NETTI SIENA", which can reasonably be traced to the Antoinetti workshop, active in Siena in the 19th century in the production of garden ornaments and architectural elements.