Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory (French, founded 1740)
Designed by Jean-Claude Duplessis (French, c. 1695–1774)
Painting attributed to by André-Vincent Vieillard (French, 1717–90, active 1752–90)
Pair of Vases (Pots Pourris à Bobèches)
INV-1357
Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory (French, founded 1740)
Designed by Jean-Claude Duplessis (French, c. 1695–1774)
Painting attributed to by André-Vincent Vieillard (French, 1717–90, active 1752–90)c. 1759
Pair of Vases (Pots Pourris à Bobèches)
Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory (French, founded 1740) Designed by Jean-Claude Duplessis (French, c. 1695–1774) Painting attributed to by André-Vincent Vieillard (French, 1717–90, active 1752–90) →vasevessel
Date
c. 1759
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain, polychrome enamels, and gilding
Dimensions
1994.371.1: 24.2 × 15 × 8.9 cm (9 1/2 × 5 7/8 × 3 1/2 in.); 1994.371.2: 24.8 × 15.3 × 8.9 cm (9 3/4 × 6 × 3 1/2 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Joseph Maier and Arthur Lewis Liebman Memorial: Gift of Kenneth J. Maier, M.D.
These multi-functional vessels served as both candleholders and room fresheners. Potpourri or burning pastilles were inserted at the foot of each vase, and the perfume was released through the intricate piercing along the sides and the bulblike projection between the candleholders. The resulting scent created the illusion that the porcelain flowers atop the vases were alive.