Figure 1: Jean-Claude Duplessis, Elephant-head Vase, 1758, Porcelain, Met Museum Jean-Claude Duplessis was a man of many talents, working as a sculptor, designer, goldsmith, and bronze worker in Italy before moving to Paris in 1740. It was here that he was able to expand his range of activities by producing designs for the Vincennes Porcelain Manufactory as well as supervising the works of the throwers and molders there (1). Louis XV and his mistress Madame de Pompadour were particularly interested in the Manufactory, which was later moved to the town of Sèvres, becoming the most important soft-paste porcelain factory in Europe. The status and reputation of the porcelain manufactory was in part due to renowned artists such as Jean-Claude Duplessis who became goldsmith to the king and provided highly original models and designs (2). Duplessis was constantly experimenting with new shapes and forms for vases and various vessels, but perhaps one of his most charming creations was the Elephant-head vase (Fig. 1), which he executed in 1758. This pink soft-paste porcelain vase with polychrome enamels and gilding features a symmetrical pair of elephant heads. It is difficult to say whether the viewer is drawn in first by the bright pink color of the vase or the intriguing sculptural elephant heads. Either way, this piece evokes a sort of fantasy and excess that we associate with the aristocracy during this time. Every detail of the vase seems to be outlined in luxurious gold, from the elephants’ oyster-like ears to the flouncy base of the piece. Tender attention was paid to the elephants’ ears and delicate dusks, while the elephants’ eyes seem to have a sinister expression. It is as if they are daring the viewer to look closer at the extravagance and beauty of the vase upon which they sit. There is an odd fascination with this piece where it is difficult to look away. The vase is amazingly balanced in every aspect, from the elephant’s trunks to the floral pattern on the body of it. Looking at the graceful sprigs of colorful flowers against the bright pink background, one cannot help but be reminded of Fragonard’s best know work, The Swing (Fig. 2). Aside from the similar color palate of the woman’s bright pink dress and the pink vase, both pieces contain floral garden elements. The woman on the swing is surrounded by lush greenery, and the Elephant-head vase features beautifully elegant flowers in diamond patterns across its surface. Just as the joyful experience of the woman on the swing invites the viewer into her enchanting fantasyland, the surprise of seeing two elephant heads on a seemingly normal vase creates a sort of mystery that captivates the viewer and allows them to get lost in their imagination. While an animal as big and clumsy as an elephant may seem like a bizarre choice to feature on such a fragile piece of art, it in fact makes perfect sense. The elephant is exactly the type of fantasy animal that we would expect to see on a fantasy-invoking vase. Just as this work of art offers us a portal to somewhere else, so did the elephant in 18th century Paris. During Louis XIV’s reign he commissioned a menagerie to be built at Versailles, making exotic animals automatically fashionable (3). Various animals of this nature can be seen featured in paintings from this time period, including Charles Le Brun’s masterpiece, The Entry of Alexander into Babylon (Fig. 3). Part three of a four work series; Alexander is depicted proudly standing in a chariot drawn by two elephants, revealing his political position of the time. This work of art was an allusion to the grandeur of Louis XIV who was also a great conqueror and powerful monarch, and the elephant only adds to the magnificence and majesty of the scene depicted (4). Louis XV was less interested in the menagerie and did little active searching for rare animals, however, tributes continued coming in during his reign, and he received an Asian elephant for Versailles (3). The fact that these exotic animals could be imported to Versailles- a journey that would oftentimes take weeks or even months- was part of the excesses that we associate with royalty during this time. As can be seen with the menagerie at Versailles and this Elephant-head vase, the places occupied by animals in 18th Century France were both material and conceptual. The elephant greatly intrigued naturalists of the time, while representing obedience, loyalty, and intelligence. It is with these qualities that the elephant expressed the proper subservient role for animals as well as their symbolic human counterparts (5). While the beauty of Duplessis’ Elephant-head vase is not as easily definable as an oil painting, it is still just as indicative of the material culture of 18th Century Paris. For an inexperienced viewer, this vase may seem to represent a kind of uselessness in the aristocracy of the 18th century, but it is in fact so much more. Luke Syson, a curator at the Met, argues that this piece is in fact quite useful. The ends of the trunks were originally candleholders and the immense talent and care that went into producing this vase is unimaginable. This piece went into the kiln at least four times to arrive in its current form, so one can imagine just how many moments there were for error to occur. And yet despite having to arrive at this exact identical form for the pair of vases, Duplessis was able to execute them flawlessly (6). Today, form and function are so crucial for modern objects, yet there is something to be said about an object as balanced and elegant as the Elephant-head Vase. It creates a sense of wonder and awe, transporting us into our own imaginations where the object continues to flourish and fascinate us.
Figure 2: Jean-Honore Fragonard, The Swing, 1767, Oil on Canvas, Wallace Collection, London Figure 3: Charles Le Brun, The Entry of Alexander into Babylon, 1665, Oil on Canvas, Louvre, Paris
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
May 2017
Categories |