Potpourri vase (one of a pair)
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Height: 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
Danish, Copenhagen
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of R. Thornton Wilson, in memory of Florence Ellsworth Wilson, 1950
Accession Number
50.211.33
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite potpourri vase, of a matching pair, hails from the Royal Porcelain Manufactory in Copenhagen, Denmark, crafted between 1760 and 1765 under the artistry of Louis-Antoine Fourn. Standing just 4¾ inches tall, it exemplifies the delicate soft-paste porcelain favored by European makers in the mid-18th century—a refined material blending clay, glass frit, and other components to mimic true Chinese hard-paste porcelain before its widespread mastery. These vases were designed to hold fragrant potpourri, releasing subtle scents through perforated lids, blending functionality with opulent...
About the Artist
Louis-Antoine Fournier|Royal Porcelain Manufactory ( |Danish) · 1715 |1775 –1786 |9999
ca. 1720–1786|Danish, 1775–present