Thomas Victor Sergent, Pitcher “Birth of Zeus”, circa 1870

This pitcher is made up of juxtaposed elements: a base imitating a chaos, an historized trunk, a lip and a handle. These elements are derived from several historical traditions. Chaos is a motif derived from the Italian grotesques of the Renaissance and rehabilitated in the French Louis XV style. The proximity of putti reinforces the intention of a rock style. The handle, characterized by a severe profile, is typical of the decorative arts under the reign of Louis XVI, favoring the austere aspect of a taste turned towards classical antiquity. The neck and the lip with their sharp shapes come from models of silverware. The juxtaposition of elements marked by styles from different eras is characteristic of the evolution of tastes under the Second Empire.