Getty Museum
Vase with Neptune and Vase with an Allegory of Venice
Creator
Geminiano CozziItalian Artist · 1764–1812
All works by this person →A shrewd businessman and imaginative entrepreneur, Geminiano Cozzi created the most successful porcelain factory in late eighteenth-century Venice, despite accusations of illicit conduct, espionage, and betrayal by his contemporaries. A banker, Cozzi first became involved in the ceramics business as a partner in another porcelain factory. When the owners returned to Germany, Cozzi founded his own
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- 1769
- Medium
- Hybrid soft-paste porcelain
- Culture
- Italian
- Department
- Decorative Arts
- Institution
- Getty Museum
The painted inscription on the side of one of these vases identifies the pair as "the first large-scale experiment [in porcelain] made on May 15, 1769 in the factory of Geminiano Cozzi in Cannaregio." On the other side of the same vessel, three putti hold up a large anchor, the mark of the Cozzi factory. These conspicuous references to the factory, owner, location, and date of production suggest that these works were produced as showpieces, possibly remaining with the factory to tempt future clients. The scenes on these vases celebrate the beauty, wealth, and sovereignty of the Venetian Republic. One vase displays the figure of Neptune holding his trident, complemented by a scene of an imaginary river town. The allegorical figure of Venice with a recumbent lion decorates the other vase.
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Vase with Neptune and Vase with an Allegory of Venice
Jun 9, 2026 · Short
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