Artwork
Suite of Vases: Plate 22
Suite of Vases: Plate 22 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.
About this work
You see a tall, fancy vase covered in tiny carved figures—satyrs, animals, and grinning faces twisting up its sides.
You see a tall, fancy vase covered in tiny carved figures—satyrs, animals, and grinning faces twisting up its sides.
Saly drew these as practice sketches while studying in Rome. He never meant them to be real vases; they were just a way to show off his skill and imagination. The wild mix of creatures and faces made people in Paris excited about bringing back old myths in new designs.
If you like these playful shapes, look up *grotesques* in the subject: france, 18th century.
Overview
Plate 22 from 'Suite of Vases' is an etched design by Jacques François Joseph Saly, featuring a fantastical, tall vase adorned with intricate, miniature figures of satyrs, animals, and grotesque faces.
Subject & Meaning
The vase design embodies Saly's imaginative interpretation of bacchanalia themes, blending mythological elements with inventive grotesques, reflecting his artistic exploration during studies in Rome.
Technique & Style
Executed in etching, the piece showcases Saly's technical skill through detailed, whimsical carvings, characteristic of 18th-century decorative arts' revival of classical motifs.
History & Provenance
Published in Paris, the suite influenced the decorative arts, potentially inspiring Fragonard's bacchanalia works, and catered to the contemporary taste for revived mythological and classical elements.
Context
Created as practice sketches in Rome, these designs were never intended for practical realization, instead serving as demonstrations of Saly's artistic prowess and imaginative flair.
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.
