Design for a Vase 1672 - 1742

Curator: Take a look at this preliminary sketch titled “Design for a Vase” by Gilles-Marie Oppenord, rendered sometime between 1672 and 1742. It's part of the collection here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: The delicacy of line, even in this preliminary state, evokes a certain fragility. The shading is really suggestive despite the fairly simple rendering, giving depth that seems almost to defy the lightness of the pencil on paper. Curator: Indeed, the artist seems most concerned with line and form, prioritizing structure over detail at this early stage. It exemplifies the Baroque interest in complex forms; note the play of convex and concave curves. Semiotically, we see a real interest in disrupting classical norms, although classical features are undeniably present in its axial symmetry. Editor: Beyond the formalism, the iconography whispers tales of grandiosity. Vases, across cultures, signify vesselhood and fertility, holding both the promise and ephemerality of life's beauty. Here, supported by winged cherubs and what look to be dolphins, they seem ready to be sent afloat like sacred reliquaries. The winged cherubs and dolphins invoke Aphrodite and her retinue, signaling a reverence for beauty. Curator: The visual balance is certainly striking, Editor, a testament to Oppenord's command of form. Observe how the curves interact, resolving a potentially chaotic composition through symmetry and measured repetition. It represents, essentially, the dynamic forces of Baroque aesthetics brought to formal order through classical means. Editor: Ultimately, what persists, is the impression of life, albeit in drawn form. Even this draft points towards the enduring power of symbolism that taps deep into our shared human story, all packaged within this exquisitely conceived object of pure fantasy. Curator: Absolutely, Editor. It’s a remarkable study in preparatory methods, and demonstrates, perhaps more acutely than the finished work might, how formalism works hand-in-glove with meaning-making to render the powerful impression this sketch has.