Pair of Empire Style Porcelain Vases, Decorated with Swans and Bundles

This pair of porcelain vases adopts a classic architecture directly inherited from Antiquity. Each vase rests on a square base with a plinth supporting a pedestal. The ovoid body flares out towards a neck crowned with a lip. The structure is flanked by two sculptural handles shaped like swan necks curved downwards, with the beak resting on the shoulder of the vase. The whole is covered with a deep "Empire green" glaze, offering a marked contrast with the decorations enhanced by gilding. The iconography of these pieces unfolds the strict ornamental repertoire of the French First Empire. The centre of the body is adorned with a bundle of lictors (a Roman axe surrounded by wooden rods symbolising the Imperium, the supreme power) crossing a victorious laurel crown. The base of the body features a geometric pattern of interlocking scales, while the neck is highlighted by a frieze of stylised foliage. This martial and mythological vocabulary (the swan being the attribute of Apollo and the symbol of Empress Josephine) is characteristic of the productions of Paris Porcelain or the great French manufactories perpetuating the Napoleonic style. Condition report: Very good overall condition. The porcelain is free from cracks or chips. The gilding displays excellent brilliance with minimal surface wear inherent to handling. A perfect illustration of neoclassical balance, this symmetrical pair is designed to authoritatively frame a clock on a mantelpiece or adorn a finely crafted console.