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- This urn-shaped porphyry vase and its pair (F358), may be attributed to an unknown marble cutter in Rome and dated to about 1630. The 17th century saw an increasing interest in hardstone vases and busts from Ancient Rome, and porphyry was considered the ultimate material. Roman marble cutters perfected once again the art of cutting porphyry and Roman ruins, such as columns, were used as source material for new objects. This pair is similar to a pair of slightly larger porphyry vases in the Louvre, known to have been acquired in Rome by Cardinal Richelieu before 1633. The model of vase is shown in a drawing by Giovanni Angelo Canini (1609–1666), probably made for Richelieu, which suggests that the Wallace Collection pair is also taken from the same design drawing. The fluting on F358–9 twists in the opposite direction from that on the Louvre vases, but the Canini drawing shows two vases of this model, the left-hand one with fluting like F358–9, the right-hand one with fluting like the Louvre vases.
The gilt-bronze stands for this pair appear to date from the late 19th century. It is possible that the vases are those described in a bill to Sir Richard Wallace from the dealer Frederick Davis of 1872 as a ‘Pair of very fine Egyptian porphyry vases’ for £1,000. The stands are not mentioned, which suggests that they were commissioned by Sir Richard. However, this bill may refer to another pair of vases in the Wallace Collection (F360–1).
- This urn-shaped porphyry vase and its pair (F358), may be attributed to an unknown marble cutter in Rome and dated to about 1630. The 17th century saw an increasing interest in hardstone vases and busts from Ancient Rome, and porphyry was considered the ultimate material. Roman marble cutters perfected once again the art of cutting porphyry and Roman ruins, such as columns, were used as source material for new objects. This pair is similar to a pair of slightly larger porphyry vases in the Louvre, known to have been acquired in Rome by Cardinal Richelieu before 1633. The model of vase is shown in a drawing by Giovanni Angelo Canini (1609–1666), probably made for Richelieu, which suggests that the Wallace Collection pair is also taken from the same design drawing. The fluting on F358–9 twists in the opposite direction from that on the Louvre vases, but the Canini drawing shows two vases of this model, the left-hand one with fluting like F358–9, the right-hand one with fluting like the Louvre vases.