Two Sèvres style porcelain vases with ormolu mounts by Picard

The Sèvres style porcelain vases are set on square ormolu (gilt bronze) plinths, decorated with pinecone finials, foliate motifs and tasselled draperies. The plinths are placed on beaded toupie feet, some of which are signed ‘H. Picard’.

The vases stand on splayed ormolu feet, which are fringed with foliate motifs and encircled by laurel wreaths. The vases’ ovoid porcelain bodies are painted a bright ‘bleu celeste’ colour. They feature beautiful paintings of the four seasons, which encircle their middles. Spring is illustrated by a group of nude putti dancing in a meadow, wearing flower wreaths and holding garlands, and summer by nude putti picking grapes and drinking wine. Winter is represented by putti pushing a sleigh through a snowy landscape, and autumn by putti harvesting crops. Parcel gilt and jewelled frames enclose the painted scenes. The vases are mounted with ormolu mouths, which are set with geometric ormolu handles that terminate in cherub heads. The vases are topped by pointed porcelain ‘bleu celeste’ lids. These are decorated with jewelled bands, and crowned by ormolu finials, cast as clusters of grapes. 

These porcelain vases are beautiful works of decorative art, which are designed in the style of the Sèvres Manufactory. The fine ormolu mounts were cast by Henri Picard, the famous French 19^th-Century bronzier who was the official supplier and gilder to Emperor Napoleon III.