Pair of extremely rare Alabaster vases, Italy, 1st half of 18th century

This pair of Roman vases of the Louis-XVI period is extremely rare. The virtuosity of the sculpture follows with all the elements the Louis XVI sty...

Pair of Egyptian style Torchères with hermes and female busts on the stems, on flared griffon feet, attributed to Agostino Fantastici. The plates are supported by finely worked palmettes. Mahogany, partly black lacquered and gilded. Attr. Agostino Fantastici, Siena circa 1820 Born in 1782 to Bernardino and Margherita Boddi. He learned his first notions of architecture from his father, a professor of mathematics at the University of Siena and a hydraulic engineer. He trained first in Siena, then in Rome, and was active both during the French occupation and, above all, during the Restoration period. His work was very wide-ranging and included numerous projects, mainly in Senegal. The first years of activity included the prison in the former convent of Santa Marta (1811), the conversion of the convent of Sant'Agostino to the Liceo (1811), the church of San Salvatore (1812-1832), work on Palazzo Griffoli in Lucignano (1815-1818), the new tribune for the church of the Madonna (1812-1832) ; the new tribune for the church of the bishopric of Santa Maria della Scala (1815-1818); the Duomo of Montalcino (1817-1832), his masterpiece as a sacred building, and the façade of the Duomo of Colle di Val d'Elsa; the portico and scaffolding of the Council of Tolome in Sant'Agostino (1818, with Francesco Paccagnini). In Siena he also worked at the Teatro dei Rinnovati (1832), the Teatro dei Rozzi and the Duomo, as well as creating ponti, dighe, steccati and pescaie ; in the fifth century of the Ottocento, he worked on the church of San Giuseppe, where a new chapel was created, on the church of San Leonardo, on the altar of the church of Saints Peter and Paul, on the chapel of the Holy Sepulchre and on the slates of the church of Santa Maria in Provenzano, and on the church of San Pietro alla Magione. Among his works of residential architecture, he designed the façade of Palazzo Pozzesi (1823), the refurbishment of Palazzo Puccioni, Palazzo Staderini, Palazzo Brancadori (1828) and the Borghesi Casino (1825), the gardens of Villa di Scorgiano and Casa Malavolti, the extension and interior stage of Villa Spannocchi, Villa Il Pavone...

Each of baluster form urn surmounted by a final of scrolling foliage and flanked by carved griffin-form handles raised on a circular socle over an octagonal plinth base.

A pair of gilt-bronze mounted Incarnat Turquin marble vases in the manner of Pierre Gouthière. Each vase is mounted with finely cast gilt bronze fema...