Design for Two Vases 1765 - 1790

This design for two vases, rendered in ink and watercolor on paper, comes to us from an anonymous maker. The level of detail suggests that this was intended as a guide for actual production, perhaps in a ceramic workshop. The vase on the left appears to be a deep cobalt blue, with delicate gold floral accents, while its companion is a study in transparency. The first would have been a material exercise in glazing, the second in glassblowing, and the contrasting designs speak to different specializations of labor. Both objects are precisely measured, as though intended for high-end manufacture. The presence of these drawings points to the market for luxury goods, where skilled hands could transform simple materials into exquisitely refined objects. The designer's meticulous work, the factory workers' practiced skills: all are combined in the finished vase, an object that bridges the worlds of art, craft, and commerce.