Pair Of Sèvres Porcelain And Gilded Bronze Vases, Jewel-decorated, 1840–1850

A splendid and elegant pair of large lidded vases in fine Sèvres porcelain, dating from the period between 1840 and 1850, embellished with a sumptuous, finely chiseled gilt-bronze mount. The vases are distinguished by their cobalt blue (bleu de Roi) background, against which the refined “jewel” decoration (décor au bijou) stands out, characterized by meticulous enamel relief applications that simulate pearls and gemstones set in pure gold. The central body of each piece features polychrome panels hand-painted with exceptional skill: the front depicts vivid, animated scenes featuring nobles on horseback, military encampments, and figures in 18th-century costumes set against bucolic landscapes in the Arcadian style, while the reverse features elaborate trophies of arms, shields, and heraldic elements in the Neoclassical and Renaissance styles. The structure is magnificently framed by gilded bronze elements, including prominent geometric handles adorned with garlands of leaves and falling acorns, pod-shaped necks, pine-cone-shaped lid handles, and imposing plinth bases decorated with openwork braided motifs and corner feet in the form of floral trophies, elements that lend the piece an extraordinary monumentality and superb chromatic and formal harmony, ideal for collectors of eclectic 19th-century art.