France, Vincennes / c. 1750
Potpourri Vase with Cover
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Potpourri Vase with Cover as ceramic (France, Vincennes · c. 1750).
This style of potpourri vase, a pot atop a rockwork base, was popularly produced by major 18th-century porcelain factories including those at Vincennes, Chantilly, and Saint-Cloud.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this ceramic as soft-paste porcelain and credits Mennecy Factory (French).
The museum's collection notes: The delicate flowers that cover the lid and base of this vase draw inspiration from the schneeballblüten , or guelder rose, pattern produced at the German Meissen porcelain factory. The flowers on the lid are spaced by small, unobtrusive perforations that allow the scent of the potpourri, a mixture of flowers, herbs, and spices placed inside this vase, to disperse.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtPotpourri Vase with CoverOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.