Artwork
Suite of Vases: Plate 23
Suite of Vases: Plate 23 is a print by the Baroque artist Jacques François Saly. It dates from 1746 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This print is the twenty-third plate from a series of thirty etchings by the Danish sculptor Saly, produced during his time in Rome.
About this work
Overview
This print is the twenty-third plate from a series of thirty etchings by the Danish sculptor Saly, produced during his time in Rome. The suite presents imaginative interpretations of classical vases, blending architectural form with fantastical elements. Each plate functions as a design template, reflecting 18th-century interest in ornamental decoration beyond strict antiquarianism.
Subject & Meaning
The plate depicts three vertically stacked vases adorned with elaborate vegetal motifs and hybrid creatures—part animal, part plant, part myth.
The plate depicts three vertically stacked vases adorned with elaborate vegetal motifs and hybrid creatures—part animal, part plant, part myth. The central vase features a stylized face, as if observing the viewer, suggesting a playful engagement between object and observer. These forms evoke neither sacred ritual nor functional use, but rather a decorative fantasy suited to garden or interior display.
Technique & Style
Saly employed etching to render fine, intricate lines that capture the fluidity of twisting vines and the textured surfaces of fantastical beings. His draftsmanship reveals sculptural training, with attention to volume and contour. While rooted in antique prototypes, the ornamentation departs from classical restraint, embracing whimsy and invention through exaggerated forms and unexpected combinations.
History & Provenance
Created between 1740 and 1746 during Saly’s studies at the French Academy in Rome, the full series of thirty etchings was published as a set. The prints circulated among artists and designers seeking fresh decorative models. The Cleveland Museum of Art holds a complete set, preserving the original context of Saly’s work as a published design portfolio rather than isolated artworks.
Context
Mid-18th-century Europe saw a surge in interest in ornamental design, fueled by archaeological discoveries and the rise of landscape gardening. Saly’s vases responded to this trend by offering imaginative alternatives to rigid classical revival styles. His fusion of real forms with invented creatures aligned with broader Rococo sensibilities that valued novelty, movement, and playful ornament over strict symmetry.
Legacy
Though Saly is better known for his sculptures, this series influenced decorative arts through its dissemination as printed patterns. The vases served as visual references for metalworkers, ceramicists, and garden designers seeking unconventional motifs. The series remains a document of how classical forms were reinterpreted through personal vision in the age of Enlightenment curiosity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacques François Joseph Saly, also known as Jacques Saly (20 June 1717 – 4 May 1776), French-born sculptor who worked in France, Italy and Malta.
