Vase with mythological scenes 1867

Joseph-Théodore Deck crafted this "Vase with mythological scenes" using glazed earthenware, an approach that merges classical forms with vibrant surface decoration. The vase presents a symmetrical body, its shape a nod to ancient amphorae, yet Deck disrupts this classicism through colour. Notice the striking bands of turquoise and deep blue at the vase's neck and base, these hues against the creamy body create a tension between form and surface. The painted mythological scenes wrap around the vase, but they don't quite integrate, they seem almost like a decorative layer applied onto the vessel. The use of color destabilizes our understanding, is it a classical object or a canvas? Deck’s work exists in this in-between space, challenging how the vase functions, not just as a container but as a site for artistic experimentation and cultural reinterpretation.