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vase
vase

vase

Object NameVase with the Head of a Woman Surrounded by Foliage
Artist Victor Prouvé (French, 1858-1943)
Artist Émile Gallé (French, 1846 - 1904)
Studio Cristallerie d'Émile Gallé
Made FromGlass
Date1888
TechniqueBlown, cased, cut, engraved
SizeH: 13 cm, D (max.): 11.9 cm
Accession Number85.3.10
Credit LineGift of The Honorable and Mrs. Amory Houghton
Curatorial Area(s)
Interpretive Notes
This vase parlante (speaking vase) is inscribed with a quotation by the Romantic poet Alfred Victor de Vigny (1797-1863): “Le soleil et les vents. . . Des feuilles sur son front faisaient flotter les ombres. A. de Vigny.” (The sun and the breezes. . . make dappled shadows of leaves on her brow. A. de Vigny). From the poem “La Dryade” (The Dryad, 1815) by Alfred de Vigny (French, 1797?1863). The dryad, in ancient Greek literature, is a tree nymph. The full quotation is: “Le soleil et les vents, dans ces bocages sombres, Des feuilles sur son front faisaient flotter les ombres.” (The sun and the breezes, in these dark groves, make dappled shadows of leaves on her brow). The model for the woman’s head surrounded by foliage was a watercolor by Victor Prouve, indicating his collaboration with Galle on this vase, which was made for display at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris.
Place Made
France, Nancy
Physical DescriptionVase with the Head of a Woman Surrounded by Foliage. Colorless glass with brown overlay and scattered green flecks; blown, cased, cut, and engraved . Ovoid shape, flared rim, cameo carved with portrait of young woman amidst scattered foliage, inscribed above: "Le soleil et les vents.../Des feuilles sur son front/faisaient flotter les ombres/A. de Vigny"; inscribed on base: "Emile Galle/E. fect_/ Nancy (Cross of Lorraine) 1888 pour la Galerie d'honneur/ Exposition 1889"; also scratched numbers "2133" and "1225".
Provenance
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