Artwork Page for Suite of Vases: Plate 14

Details / Information for Suite of Vases: Plate 14

Suite of Vases: Plate 14

1746

Jacques François Saly

(French, 1717–1776)
View all records in artwork set
Culture
France, 18th century
Medium
etching
Support
Laid paper
Measurements
Platemark: 19 x 12.7 cm (7 1/2 x 5 in.); Sheet: 30 x 22.6 cm (11 13/16 x 8 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1996.229.15
Catalogue raisonné
Guilmard 8
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

The voluptuous two-tailed mermaid figure in the center of this design may be a nereid. As the undine daughters of Neptune, nereids were often part of Bacchus's entourage in classical mythology.

Description

Jacques François Joseph Saly created an etched suite of 30 imaginary vase designs while studying in Rome. Throughout the series, he let his skill and imagination run wild on the theme of bacchants by inventively incorporating animals, satyrs, and maenads—as well as faces and grotesques (fantastic figures and beasts)—into various designs. Published in Paris, the series nourished an appetite for the revival of mythological and classical elements in decorative arts, and may have also inspired Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s suite of bacchanalia images.
A vertically oriented etching in black ink depicts an ornate urn centered on a stone ledge. A nude woman with a scaly lower body clings to the front, reaching up to grasp thick garlands. She is flanked by two horned satyrs with goat legs; the left figure leans inward, while the right stands with crossed arms. Fine horizontal hatching fills the background. Handwritten text and the number 14 appear at the bottom.

Suite of Vases: Plate 14

1746

Jacques François Saly

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

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork