Pair of porphyry urns

The design of this pair of vases is based on a 1764 engraving by Ennemond-Alexandre Petitot, published as one of a set of thirty-one prints of decorative vases. Petitot, born in France, moved to Italy in 1753, where he became court architect to Ferdinand, Duke of Parma (1751–1802). Most of the engravings from this set were purely fantastic, but some of the designs were used as the basis for three large garden vases for the Duke. While the porphyry bodies of the vases were undoubtedly made in Italy, a Parisian bronze caster probably placed them in their gilt bronze mounts.