Garniture of Three Flower Vases (Vases Hollandois) c. 1761

Curator: Here we have a garniture of three 'Vases Hollandois,' crafted around 1761 by the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres. These porcelain vases represent the height of Rococo decorative arts. Editor: They’re quite striking. That turquoise blue, punctuated by the ornate gilding and little genre scenes… it’s almost overwhelmingly decorative, isn't it? Curator: That overwhelming quality was entirely the point! These vases were meant to be displayed in the homes of the French aristocracy, signalling their wealth and refined taste. Sèvres porcelain was closely associated with the court. Editor: The eye definitely travels! My attention is drawn to how those landscape vignettes contrast with the intense ground color of that famous ‘bleu céleste’. The scenes depict very charming social gatherings; people at leisure in park-like settings. There’s so much going on in these framed sections with their crisp miniature painting technique. Curator: Those scenes are examples of the kind of subject matter favored by Rococo artists—'fêtes galantes', or idyllic parties. The vignettes offer a window into the lifestyle enjoyed by the elite at the time, though perhaps it offers a somewhat romanticized view, I think. The scenes allowed buyers of this expensive porcelain to envision the type of parties one might use the objects for. Editor: I notice also how each panel or component appears very delineated within the structural elements and gold frameworks. What that communicates to me, even without knowing all that background you offer, is how the materiality contributes to how luxury can be crafted as much as be implied. Curator: Indeed. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, the ‘Vases Hollandois’ underscore the power of the French court and the symbolic language deployed via visual imagery to bolster the Bourbon regime. They represent more than just refined taste but express very calculated strategies of communication via objects. Editor: I leave today feeling as though, despite the Rococo riot, that everything I'm taking in as visual information on display is very deliberately deployed, which can at first disguise itself via a lavish effect. Thank you for bringing that out to light! Curator: Thank you for offering us the unique capacity to look beyond conventional history of an artwork, reminding us that a deeper investigation will give access to layers that need teasing out with informed perspectives.