Vase, shape no. 1359

This vase can be seen as a testament to the ongoing interest in and celebration of ancient Greek and Roman motifs and forms that saw a great flowering in the second half of the 18th century and continued to be a strong undercurrent in European art and design through the 19th century. The rectangular reliefs depict ancient myths that include centaurs abducting nymphs and Bacchus’s teacher and friend Silenus enjoying a drunken moment with a group of playful putti. These Greek and Roman motifs and scenes have been given new vibrancy with the application of bright majolica glazes.

Two of this elaborate vase model standing on pedestals can be seen in a photograph originally published in “Artistic Houses: Being a Series of Interior Views of a Number of the Most Beautiful and Celebrated Homes in the United States with a Description of the Art Treasures Contained Therein,” the landmark publication published in 1883 that documented the dwellings of some of the United States’ wealthiest citizens. This Minton vase model featured in an image of the conservatory in H. Victor Newcomb’s home on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Newcomb was a successful Wall Street banker and president of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. The interiors of his expansive home reflected the most fashionable taste of the time—incorporating objects that would have confirmed their owner’s wealth and social status.

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Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

With Nick Boston Antiques, London, by 1995; purchased by Deborah and Philip English, Baltimore, 1995; given to the Walters Art Museum, 2024.