Vide poche - Italy - Bronze ashtray

This object is a vintage bronze ashtray or decorative centerpiece, featuring an ornate design inspired by Baroque or Rocaille style, characterized by asymmetric decorative curves and a strong sense of dynamism. At the center of the scene are depicted two figures: two putti, very common in Renaissance and Baroque art, playing. In artistic tradition the figures symbolize innocence, the joy of living, and love. The grapevines and grapes surround the figures with clusters of grapes and the leaves of life, and this iconographic theme traditionally linked to Bacchus, the god of wine and festivity, represents abundance, prosperity, and conviviality. The contour of the object presents shell repoussé motifs, with pierced edges."