Auteuil Factory, France, Paire of vases in the “Troubadour” style, circa 1880
This pair of ornamental vases shows how strong was the attraction of the Middle ages for the new upper class society of the second half of the 19th century.
Dressed in the troubadour style, two characters echo each other with a perfect symmetry. Each of them stands out in relief on the belly of the vases. A young lady, dressed in the fashion of the 15th century, holds a fan in her right hand. She leans on a pillar, attentively listening to the melody of a luth player sat on stone ruins. The picturesque details of this scene refer to the troubadour style that was in vogue throughout the 19th century. The interest for Middles Ages and Renaissance history grows from the years 1820-1830 in painting with Révoil and Fleury-Richard. Ingres also felt attracted by troubadour painting. This craze is very present in ceramics and our vases are a beautiful example of this fashion. People like anecdotic scene and numerous factories such as Sarreguemines or Minton chose the end of the XVth century as the historic frame for this production.
