vase

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.