Summary

Porcelain vase hand painted in pink over white glaze, relief moulded figure, and hand painted gilt vine and leaf decoration, Continental European, probably German, circa 1880. On the inside base of the vase is the monogram 'RC' or 'CR' and the number '623'.

At the time the vase was produced at the end of the nineteenth century, it was imitating earlier decorative styles. It has been decorated in an opulent late Baroque, or Rococo-style, of the late eighteenth century. A seam on the inside of the vase's base suggests it was moulded in two halves and joined before firing. The painted scene depicts two figures walking in a forested landscape in clothing typical of the mid-sixteenth century.

The vase once formed part of a suite of similar decorated items in the decorative art collection of John Twycross, who probably acquired them from the German Court at the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition. A similar porcelain centrepiece bowl, decorated with a pink hand painted scene, gilt tendrils, and white relief moulded figures, used to sit on the carved Indian table in the drawing room of the Twycross family home of 'Emmarine', in Elsternwick.

Physical Description

Porcelain vase, footed, and with a relief moulded classical female figure standing on a branch on the front. Further relief moulded branches and flowers are attached to the Proper Left side. The body of the vase has a white glaze, with hand-painting in pink over the glaze. The pink decorations depict a pair of figures walking amongst trees. The classical figure appears unglazed, and the relief moulded tree branch, acorns and flowers are hand painted in gold. The foot of the vase is painted pink, with gold and red highlights. The rim is also highlighted with gold.

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