Spill vase 1890s

Editor: This is a spill vase from the 1890s, crafted by Minton. The striking cobalt blue porcelain, adorned with delicate gold flowers, gives it a really refined air. How would you begin to interpret the impact of the structural composition of this piece? Curator: I find myself immediately drawn to the tripartite division of the vase. We see the cylindrical body providing a smooth canvas for the floral motif, countered by the ornate, almost architectural legs supporting it. Consider the relationship between these elements. The eye moves upward, guided by the verticality of the legs, then rests on the more organic pattern. Editor: It’s interesting that you use the word architectural to describe the base, because the gilded botanical pattern feels so deliberately ornamental. Curator: Precisely. The stark blue field amplifies the effect of the metallic, almost flattened depiction of plant life, calling attention to the tension between surface and support. Does the lack of depth in the rendering of flowers bring anything to your mind? Editor: I hadn't really considered it that way, but the flatness of the applied gold contrasts with the roundness of the vessel, making it feel more like a design object, perhaps more modern than I first assumed. Curator: An astute observation. We may ponder how the play of flatness versus form, the contrast between naturalistic motif and artificial coloring, all come together. The object, therefore, may reflect its historical moment in interesting ways. It embodies a complex and compelling union. Editor: That's given me a completely new perspective on something I previously took to be simply decorative. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. Close looking always offers new avenues for contemplation.