Alessandro Magni for Società Ceramica Richard Italian, Milan, circa 1885

Private collection, Belgium, purchased at the Universal Exhibition, Antwerp in 1885;
thence by descent to the present owner

Antwerp, Exposition Universelle, 1885

Exposition Universelle d'Anvers 1885: Catalogue Officiel, p. 44

Given the age and fragility of the piece, the overall condition of the vase is very good, with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. There is light surface dirt throughout, giving the plaster an attractive patina. The vase is composed of sections, which can be taken apart and reassembled; the Monk and the lower Nymph can be detached from the vase. There are a few minor chips to the plaster, including to the foliage. There is a minor loss to the lower nymph's hair in her proper right hand. There are a few restorations to the fingers of the nymphs; these are very well concealed. There is a further restoration to the garland/handle of the nymph on the left. There is also a hole to this garland. There is minor craquelure to the glazing of the vase throughout, consistent with the material. There are a few minor abrasions to the glazing around the edges, particularly at the foot of the vase. There are some natural flaws in the glazing around the bottom edge, consistent with the material, which appear in the form of circles and bubbles. The glaze has run in a few areas. There are some possible chips to the roots at the bottom. There are a few matte areas to the glaze on the body of the vase, and some staining around the top. There are a few minor dark impurities and pits in the glaze. The wood pedestal is in very good condition with minor dirt and wear, including some stable splitting and a few small chips. There is a semicircular metal bar which may be affixed to the top of the pedestal.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This magnificent Vase is an apparently unique masterpiece exhibited by the Società Ceramica Richard at the Exposition Universelle in Antwerp in 1885. Modelled by the company's talented young sculptor Alessandro Magni, this tour de force in ceramic and plaster received effusive praise in the official catalogue of the Exposition. Its authors hailed it as a 'new and original' creation in the art of ceramics, with 'admirably modelled' figures, continuing that 'there is in the details and the whole of this composition something vibrant and novel, which instinctively arrests the passer-by. Our sincere congratulations to M. Magni, and the Società Richard, which possesses such an artist' (op. cit., p. 44). 

Magni populates his ornate, monumental Art Nouveau amphora with fantastical figures in plaster that create a striking visual effect while providing a narrative theme for the work. Two alluring female nudes are writhing from the handles in a state of ecstasy, forming a dangerous temptation to the crouching monk at the foot of the vase, whose face and pose betray his inner torment. A popular subject since the Renaissance, the Temptation of Saint Anthony gained particular currency within the Symbolist movement of the 19th century. The technical accomplishment of the figures' modelling reveals Magni as a highly able sculptor as well as ceramicist. With its combination of materials, decorative extravagance, and moral significance, his vase is a unique fin-de-siècle showpiece.

Remarkably, the Vase has remained in the same private collection since it was shown in Antwerp in 1885. Now seen in public for the first time since this event, it retains its dramatic visual power in the eyes of the modern viewer.