Marine Vase, shape no. 1362

By the second half of the 1860s, when this model was designed, Minton & Co. had realized true mastery in majolica, one of the firm's chief products and successes of the second half of the 19th century. With its highly three-dimensional modeling and especially in the twisting forms of the mermen that hold up and grasp the main body of the vase, this model recalls sculptural works of Baroque European art. Titled “Marine Vase” by Minton, its allusions to water in the shell shapes and mermen as well as its overall form and capacity suggest it may have been intended to hold the icy water that would keep bottles of wine cool at the table. Mer people – male, female, and children – often stretching and twisting to hold aloft shells, can be found in a variety of Minton products of the 1860s or early 1870s. These include some of the most engaging designs produced by the pottery during this period, such as the Nautilus Shell (shape no. 992) and Triton Ewer (shape no. 1693) models, examples of which were given to the museum by Deborah and Philip English in 2024 (accession numbers 48.2928 and 48.2940).

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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.

William Doyle Galleries, New York, “American Furniture & Decorations at 10 AM, Including Paintings, Historical & Decorative Prints; Majolica at 4 PM,” 20 November 1996, lot 748; purchased by Deborah and Philip English, Baltimore, 1996; given to the Walters Art Museum, 2025.