Italian Green Marble Warwick Vases

This remarkable pair of carved green serpentine marble vases were modeled after the legendary Warwick vase. Found at the Roman Emperor Hadrian's villa in 1770 and subsequently held in the collection of the Earl of Warwick, the vase remains one of the most famous designs in the decorative arts. Crafted of rare serpentine stone from Prato, Italy, this pair exhibits exceptional hand carved Bacchanalian details that harken back to the original masterpiece, incorporating a border formed by grapevines sprouting from the handles, Bacchic heads and artichoke wands. A beaded egg-and-dart trim and acanthus cardwork provide the perfect framework for this extraordinary artistry. 

The original vase, a mammoth 10-foot ancient Roman urn owned by the Emperor Hadrian, was discovered by the antiquarian Gavin Hamilton at the bottom of Lake Tivoli, near the sight of Hadrian's Villa in Italy around 1771. It was once owned by Cardinal Albani and then sold to Sir William Hamilton, special counsel to Naples. Sir Hamilton in turn gave the vase to his nephew, George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick, who displayed it in a specially made conservatory of Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, England. Subsequently, it became known as the Warwick vase. Viewed as a survival from the classical world, the vase had a great influence on the evolution of English taste. The vase was later sold in the 1970s to the Burrell Collection in Glasgow where it remains.

Italian, Early 19th Century

9" high x 8" wide x 5 1/2" deep