Boch Frères - Vase (2) - Earthenware - Boch Naturalist Vases

This pair of majolica earthenware vases features a coordinated craftsmanship typical of late nineteenth-century impressionist barbotine pottery. The bodies of the two vessels bear an identical mottled decoration imitating the natural veining of marble or walnut burl, blending rich shades of brown, beige, and cream. Each piece is adorned with plant motifs applied in strong relief from the same naturalistic universe. The large vase presents an elongated silhouette with a flared neck and two sinuous handles, enhanced by a climbing grapevine bearing broad textured leaves and dark, open flowers. The small vase adopts a stockier shape with two branched handles, wrapped in a wild blackberry shoot adorned with veined leaves and relief fruits. Both models bear under their base the sunken signature “Boch Frères” printed linearly in the clay, which confirms beyond doubt their common early origin and belonging to the same production series. The large vase has a height of 29 cm, a neck diameter of 13.5 cm, and a maximum diameter of about 18 cm, with an individual weight of 1250 g. The small vase measures a height of 11 cm, a neck diameter of 8.5 cm, and a maximum diameter of about 9.5 cm, with a weight of 400 g. The combined total weight of this pair is 1650 g. Regarding the condition of these particularly fragile antique pieces, the small vase is in perfect condition. The large vase remains in a magnificent structural condition with vibrant colors, but bears four leaves that are broken or damaged within its substantial high-relief floral decoration, minor losses that blend discreetly into the density of the original ornamentation.