Vase with swan 1875 - 1885

This is a porcelain vase made by Haviland & Co., a firm which operated in France and the United States from 1842-1931. Look closely and you’ll notice both Japanese and Western influences, a hybridity characteristic of the aesthetic movement of the late 19th century, a movement which saw artists and designers turning away from Victorian styles and instead drawing inspiration from a variety of cultures, with a particular interest in Japanese art. The swan is a symbol deeply embedded in Western culture, often representing grace, beauty, and purity. In contrast, the floral motifs and the asymmetrical composition reflect Japanese design principles. The effect isn’t a simple combination of East and West, but a more complex layering of cultural meanings. What do you feel when you observe the swan floating among Japanese blossoms? The vase encapsulates a moment of cross-cultural dialogue, a reflection of the increasingly interconnected world, inviting us to consider how different cultural symbols and traditions can come together, sometimes harmoniously, sometimes not.