A pair of monumental Italian sculpted white marble urns in the manner of the Medici Vase

A pair of monumental Italian sculpted white marble urns in the manner of the Medici Vase, late 19th century, each with everted rim above a frieze of fruiting grapevines in low relief, the main registers of the bodies of the urns relief carved with figural and equestrian scenes, each with twin handles rising from foliate carved undersides, on knopped and waisted socles with square bases, 160cm high, 105cm diameterBidders from the UK and outside of the European Union should be aware that additional import charges may applyIt was not uncommon for sculptors inspired by ancient works to reinterpret them and to make changes to either the form or the decorative scheme as they saw fit, as is the case in the pair of marble urns offered in this lot. They are of course of Campana form, like the Medici Vase, but the similarities go much further than that. The egg-and-dart moulding to the everted rims, above figural friezes which use the upper edge of the foliate carved underside as a flat ground for the figural scene is very reminiscent of the Medici Vase, as are the twin reeded handles rising from masks. The knopped socle and square base are also fairly generic, but when all the similarities are taken into account together it is reasonable to suggest that the urns offered here were at the very least, inspired by the Medici urnAs for the Medici Vase, it was probably a part of the Medici collection by the late 16th century and within one hundred years or so was one of the most celebrated antiquities in EuropeCondition Report: Both urns bear the usual minor knocks and scuffs overall consistent with their age and use. Some larger chips and losses to some extremities.The edge of the rims are chipped in places a little more significantly but not dramatically so. The urns are composed of various, separately carved elements, and there is also further minor chipping where these individual parts meet. There are some areas where weathering has affected the smoothness of the marble leaving a granular surface.Each handle of one urn has a restored crackThe urns have been fully and professionally cleaned, giving them a bright, white hue.Please refer to additional images for visual reference to conditionCondition Report Disclaimer