Vase cygne à roseau en buire

These vases, in the form of ewers, are among the most extravagant ever put into production at the Sèvres manufactory; they are formed entirely of hard-paste porcelain, fashioned to simulate the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli, and gilt bronze mounts. The accomplished rendering of the ground colour was achieved by a sophisticated process of applying layers of light tones of blue to convey the subtle gradations of true lapis lazuli. The vases are egg-shaped and mounted on a richly gilded rocky base with sprouting rushes forming part of the handle, the lip is in shape of swan with half-opened wings forming the spout, the head buried in the rushes forming upper handle. This is one of only two pairs of this version known to survive today.