Pair Of Vases In Mokaitite Jasper And Gilded Bronze, Empire Period, Attributed To Thomire

Pair of vases in mokaitic jasper and mercury-gilded bronze
France, Paris, circa 1805–1815
Design attributed to Pierre-Philippe Thomire (1751–1843)

This significant pair of ovoid vases combines the use of a precious hardstone, mokait jasper, with a finely chiseled and mercury-gilded bronze mount, fully illustrating the aesthetic of French decorative arts during the Empire period.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, jasper held a privileged place in objects produced for aristocratic interiors and official residences. Appreciated since antiquity for its density and deep luster, it was then associated with an unmistakable reference to Imperial Rome. Mokaite jasper, with its veining in shades of brown, ochre, and amber, is distinguished by natural patterns evoking true mineral landscapes, giving each vase its own identity while preserving the harmony of the pair.

The gilded bronze mount elegantly frames the composition. The neck is encircled by an openwork gallery decorated with oves, upon which rest two putti in the round, depicted without wings, whose lower bodies extend into a coiled fishtail, likening these figures to sea spirits. The sculptural treatment is distinguished by the finesse of the modeling and the precision of the chiseling, giving the vases an almost statuary quality.

The bodies rest on a gilded bronze pedestal decorated with water leaves and godrons, set upon a carefully proportioned quadrangular base. The quality and depth of the well-preserved mercury gilding highlight the forms and enhance the clarity of the decorative details.