Stock No: 15768

A very fine pair of bronze vases, taking the form of the Townley Vase. The vases are modelled on a krater, a Greek vessel used for mixing water and wine. Each vase has elegantly scrolling bifurcated gilt handles, and the body of the vases are cast in high relief and depict a bacchanalian procession, featuring Bacchus on Ariadne. The vases are mounted on Belgian black marble pedestal bases, on which are mounted lion masks with rings in their mouths. The interior of the vases are beautifully gilded.
English, c.1860.

Notes: The Townley Vase is a large Roman marble vase after a Greek original. The vase, dating from the 2nd century, was discovered in 1773 by Gavin Hamilton, a Scottish Antiquarian. Its name comes from the English collector Charles Townley, who purchased the vase after its discovery. After his death, the vase was brought to its final home, the British Museum.

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