Lantern

Physical description

Lantern and cover in hard-paste porcelain, moulded, pierced and painted in underglaze blue with lustre.
[Lantern] Lantern of architectural form, the corners applied with columns surmounted by obelisks, a balustrade around the rim, the side panels pierced and decorated with a chinoiserie design, including a tall figure standing below a canopy, and edged by scroll motifs.
[Lantern] Domed cover, moulded in segments and pierced, with alternating panels of underglaze blue decoration.

Place of Origin

Venice, Italy (made)

Date

ca. 1724 (made)

Artist/maker

Vezzi porcelain factory (manufacturer)

Materials and Techniques

Hard-paste porcelain, moulded, pierced and painted in underglaze blue with lustre

Descriptive line

Lantern and cover in hard-paste porcelain, painted in enamels with lustre, made by the Vezzi porcelain factory, Venice, ca. 1724.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Kräftner, Johann,ed. Baroque Luxury Porcelain: The Manufacturers of Du Paquier in Vienna and of Carlo Ginori in Florence , with text by Claudia Lehner-Jobst, Andreina d'Agliano, Luca Melegati and others, Liechtenstein Museum, Prestel, 2005, p.131-132, no. 5
See Ceramics Department Object Information File
Luca Melegati (see above) also illustrates another lantern of the same form, complete with putto finial and painted in iron red, p.133, no.6. He mentions on p127 the similarity of the form to lanterns or night lights made by Du Paquier, but states 'the Venetian lantern has extremely close links with the real lanterns used on palazzos, moorings or gondolas in theVenetian lagoons.'
Bortolotto, Angelica Alverà. Storia della Ceramica a Venezia. Florence : Sansoni, 1981. Pl. CXXVII
This extremely rare early piece of Vezzi porcelain appears to be modelled on a contemporary gondonla lantern.

Materials

Hard paste porcelain

Techniques

Painted; Moulded; Pierced; Lustre

Subjects depicted

Architectural elements

Categories

Porcelain; Ceramics

Collection code

CER