A pair of scagliola faux porphyry vases, in the Roman Baroque style

These vigorously designed faux porphyry vases are reminiscent of the covered vases à godrons torsés in the Musée du Louvre, Paris (inv. no. inv. no. OA9225-6) and illustrated in P. Malgouyres and C. Blanc-Riehl, Porphyre, exh. cat., Paris, 2003, p.140, no.47). The later vases were probably designed after a drawing by l’abbé Elpidio Benedetti (circa 1610-1690), “Desseins de sept vazes de différentes formes de l’abbé Benedetti” (P. Malgouyres, op. cit., p.140). A similar vase, however with handles, is recorded in the collections of the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj (ill. Dario Del Bufalo, Porphyry, 2012, p.145, no. V48).