Artwork Page for Suite of Vases

Details / Information for Suite of Vases

Suite of Vases

1746

Jacques François Saly

(French, 1717–1776)
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Culture
France, 18th century
Medium
etching
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1996.229
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

Trained as a sculptor, Saly etched a series of 30 vase designs while studying at the Académie de France in Rome. Designing ornamental vases or urns was particularly popular during the mid-18th century, as the motif allowed artists the opportunity to demonstrate their skill and imagination. In these vases, Saly inventively incorporated animals, mythical creatures, faces, and grotesques. After his return to Paris, the publication announcement for the Suite of Vases endorsed the etchings as an indication of the sculptor’s ingenuity and freedom of design. The vase designs also nourished an appetite for the revival of classical elements, or Neoclassicism, in decorative arts that developed in the mid-18th century.
A vertically oriented print in black ink depicts a person with light skin tone and hair tied back, leaning over a large open book. Facing and looking toward our right with a pensive expression, they rest their head in one hand and hold a quill in the other. A stone pedestal below is inscribed with Latin text. In the background, columns and a statue are visible. An artist's palette and brushes lie at the base.

Suite of Vases

1746

Jacques François Saly

(French, 1717–1776)
France, 18th century

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