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A large superb quality antique French cut crystal glass and ormolu Borghese Campana vase, circa 1890 in date.
The bell-shaped krater and square base features a diamond and ribbed cut glass design with a scalloped ormolu mouth and fillet and square section plinth mounts.
The craftsmanship is second to none throughout all aspects of this vase and it is sure to add an unparalleled elegance to your home.
Condition:
In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 34.5 x Width 22.5 x Depth 22.5
Dimensions in inches:
Height 1 foot, 2 inches x Width 9 inches x Depth 9 inches
Our reference: 09553
Please feel free to email or call us (+44 20 8809 9605) to arrange a viewing in our North London warehouse.
Borghese Vase
The Borghese Vase is a monumental bell-shaped krater sculpted in Athens from Pentelic marble in the second half of the 1st century BC as a garden ornament for the Roman market it is now in the Louvre Museum.
Standing 1.72 metres tall and with a diameter of 1.35 m., the vase has a deep frieze with bas-reliefs and an everted gadrooned lip over a gadrooned lower section, where paired satyrs' heads mark the former placement of loop handles, it stands on a spreading fluted stem with a cabled motif round its base, on a low octagonal plinth.
The frieze depicts the thiasus, an ecstatic Bacchanalian procession accompanying Dionysus, draped with the panther skin and playing the aulos, and Ariadne. However, the accompanying figures often said to be satyrs have neither the common characteristics of cloven feet nor equine tails flowing to the floor as typically shown on Greek pottery; some references identify to the figures as sileni. The draped figures are often said to be Maenads but are clearly not: Maenads are females who accompany Dionysus but on the vase a draped male figure is depicted. One of the figures is shown being anointed, typically a symbolic act of divinity, leading to the interpretation of some of the figures as Apollo and Dionysus rescuing Silenus who is shown falling down reaching for a spilled flagon of wine. This scene on the vase corresponds to the saying "The Gods look after children and drunken men" which has been passed down orally through many generations. Many copies of the vase do not correctly depict the scene, replacing Dionysus with a female figure on the wrongful assumption that a sexual act is in progress.
The vase was rediscovered in a Roman garden that occupied part of the site of the gardens of Sallust in 1566 and acquired by the Borghese family. Napoleon bought it from his brother-in-law Camillo Borghese in 1808, and it has been displayed in the Louvre since 1811.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 34.5 x Width 22.5 x Depth 22.5
Dimensions in inches:
Height 1 foot, 2 inches x Width 9 inches x Depth 9 inches
Shipping:
We ship worldwide and deliver to Mainland UK addresses free of charge.
A shipping cost to all other destinations must be requested prior to purchase.
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Delivery and return policy:
We require that someone be home on the agreed delivery day if applicable, otherwise a redelivery fee will apply.
In accordance with Distance Selling Regulations, we offer a 14-day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the item.
The item must be returned in its original packaging and condition.
Unless the item is not as described in a material way, the buyer is responsible for return shipping expenses.
Buyers are fully responsible for any customs duties or local taxes that may be incurred on items sent outside of the European Union.
