NEVERS, second half of the 17th century. - Lot 428

NEVERS, second half of the 17th century. A large earthenware garden vase known as a “Jasmin,” with two handles shaped like twisted ropes, decorated in shades of blue on each side with Chinese dignitaries and servants set against a Far Eastern landscape. The upper portion is accented by a wide frieze of foliage, spirals, and stylized flowers. The base is adorned with a frieze of spirals. Three original perforations in the bottom. Height: 33 cm. Diameter: 60 cm. Chips and restoration. This type of garden vase, perforated at the bottom to hold various plants and orange trees, was placed along the flowerbeds. The accounts of the King’s Buildings thus mention “Nevers earthenware pots.” Shards of similar vases, discovered during excavations in the park of the Palace of Versailles, attest to the presence of this type of decoration in the estate’s gardens. Related work: a vase in the collections of the Louvre Museum. Inv.: OA 12535