Vaas met deksel op een stuk steen before 1703

Nicolas Robert made this etching of a vase with a lid on a piece of stone in the 17th century. Robert, who served as a painter for the King, also produced a number of botanical illustrations. This print offers insight into the aesthetic values of the French aristocracy, who would have possessed such an object. The vase is adorned with garlands, leaves, and most strikingly, cherubic faces that lend the piece a sense of liveliness. These faces, reminiscent of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, were highly prized in the royal courts and aristocratic residences of seventeenth-century Europe. Does the vase and its various ornaments evoke any thoughts or feelings within you? How might the original owner have felt about possessing such a precious item? This etching allows us to explore themes of wealth and luxury, as well as the role art plays in defining societal identity.