Cleveland Museum of Art

Vase for a Garniture Set

Date

1736–1770

Medium

Chinese hard-paste porcelain, gilt bronze, enameled metal

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The fascination with Chinese porcelain among aristocratic circles increased during the reign of Louis XV. In reaction to the perceived excesses of elaborate naturalistic ornament of the 1750s, mount makers increasingly turned to neoclassical designs, known as Goût Grec (Greek taste) in the 1760s and 1770s. These beautifully chased gilt-bronze mounts feature classical Greco-Roman motifs such as lion masks, acanthus and laurel leaves, and pilasters. A set of vases and clock, connected visually by the use of the same materials, often adorned a mantlepiece or the top of a large piece of furniture, such as a commode or console, within a room.

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