Style Japonism, Chinoiserie / Ref.10942

Baccarat, Pair of vases with wading birds, circa 1880

This pair of opaline vases with Japonisant decoration was executed by the Baccarat crystal works around 1880. Throughout the nineteenth century, the French crystal manufactory demonstrated its excellence through its technical innovations, unveiled on the occasion of the Universal Exhibitions.

At that time, the renown of the crystal works was such that it set the standard for other manufactories, both technically and aesthetically. Opaline is a tinted glass crystal whose milky or opaque appearance is close to that of the precious stone (opal). Originally, the effect was achieved by adding bone ash and horn; however, the technical advances of the nineteenth century made it possible to obtain more regular and consistent results by substituting the original ingredients with stable compounds derived from tin dioxide.

The decoration of these baluster vases is of outstanding quality of execution and attests to the favour enjoyed by Japanese arts in France during the last third of the nineteenth century. The effectiveness of the composition – which leaves a significant place to empty space – is inspired by Japanese prints: the decoration depicts two pairs of wading birds in a summarily brushed marsh landscape, perched on a strip of land enhanced with green enamel and vegetation. A sun and branches of cherry blossom adorn the upper registers. The palette, restricted to three colours, highlights the whiteness and translucency of the opaline. The neck is adorned with an elegant frieze of gilded rinceaux, and the lip – as well as the outlines and details – is enhanced with gold.

For more information on this work, see the video on MarcMaison.art.