Style Japonism, Chinoiserie / Ref.13503

BACCARAT - Pair of Japanese vases in opalescent glass mounted in bronze

This charming pair of Japanese vases was made by the Baccarat glass factory in opalescent glass in 1883 as indicates the date under "19 février 83".

Japan opened for trade to the West in the early 1850's and participates for the first time to a Worl Fair in 1867. the French artists discover then a new inspiration in their emphasis nature and began to incorporate Japanase themes to their works. The Baccarat glass factory was the first French glass factory to reference Japanese woodblock prints in their glass designs.
Created under Louis XV’s reign, the crystal-glass making factory got its international fame through its participations, all along the 19th century, and until 1937, to the World’s Fairs. It is during this period that the manufacture showed the world the excellency of its production and its constant search for innovations, winning medals at every edition. The Baccarat realizations inspired other European glass or crystal manufactures during the following decades, and dictated the taste, the technical execution and the stylistic models. The works of the manufacture are scarcely signed between 1764 and 1860, year where the first labels did appear punctually. Fifteen years later, a seal with the name of the firm is placed on some blowing models and gilded bronze pieces. It is not until 1936 that the « BACCARAT » brand, with a carafe and two glasses, started appearing systematically on every production.

Out of a baluster shape, our vases depict each a very beautiful Japanese decor on a marbled grey background composed of cherry tree branches with flowers on which are put two birds in front of what could be two full moons. The birds appear to be blue nuthatches, and rufous-backed shrikes, both native species to Asian regions. Images of birds perched on flowering branches was a popular theme in Japanese prints, as was the use of geometric shapes to focus a viewer’s gaze onto vignettes of different, but related, scenes. the vases rest on a burnished bronze mount of which the feet also take the shape of cherry tree branches.