Pair of vases with covers 1815 - 1845

These vases with covers were made by Lane Delph in the late 18th or early 19th century. The most prominent visual symbols are the climbing vines with their delicate flowers, recurring motifs throughout art history that represent growth and the cyclical nature of life. Consider Botticelli's "Primavera," where flora signifies fertility and renewal. Here, on these vases, the vines ascend, suggesting an aspiration towards something greater, a connection between the earthly and the sublime. Yet, these vines also carry a darker echo: think of the Laocoön, ensnared by serpents. The subconscious fear of being trapped, or the overwhelming power of nature, permeates this decorative choice. These symbols aren't static; they evolve, regress, and resurface, revealing our complex relationship with the natural world and the emotional undercurrents that bind us to the past. The vases serve as a reminder of how symbols transform and endure.