Neo-Grec Vase
Baccarat · Signed
France, Circa 1867
An antique Napoleon III period vase in acid-etched cased crystal by the Baccarat glassworks, featuring Neo-Grec decoration, crafted circa 1867. Similar models were showcased by Baccarat at the 1867 Paris Universal Exposition, where the maison triumphed through the superlative quality of its crystal. Fashioned in the form of an antique krater, or "Campana" vase, it adopts both the silhouette and the iconography of ancient Greek ceramics. The blue decoration against a white ground, achieved by acid-etching away a layer of coloured crystal, highlights bacchanalian figures reminiscent of black-figure Greek pottery. Palmettes, Greek frets, heart motifs, and a laurel frieze complete the ornamentation. A fine gilt filet accentuates the neck, the foot, and the handles, which were shaped separately and applied hot to the crystal. Acid etching, for which Baccarat acquired the patent in 1864, allowed for an unprecedented delicacy of detail. The same bacchanalian motif is found on Baccarat pieces preserved at the Musée d'Orsay, the Petit Palais, and the Corning Museum of Glass. A collector's piece as much as a decorative work of art, this vase illustrates the Second Empire's passion for Greek Antiquity, reinvented through the most innovative techniques of the era.
7 500 €
- Artist / Maker
- Baccarat · Signed
- Circa
- 1867
- Origin
- France
Dimensions
- Height : 7.5 in(19 cm)
- Diameter : 8.7 in(22 cm)
Technique / Materials
- Acid-etched cased crystal, gilt highlights
Museum collections
- Baccarat pieces bearing the same bacchanalian decoration are preserved at the Musée d'Orsay and the Petit Palais in Paris, the Corning Museum of Glass, and the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk (United States).
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