ATTRIBUTED TO FRANCESCO ANTONIO FRANZONI (1734-1818), CIRCA 1770, THE PLINTH PROBABLY ORIGINAL

This impressive vase is identical in form and size to a marble vase and cover, firmly attributed to Franzoni, in the Pio Clementino Museum, Galleria degli Candelabri in the Vatican – and shares the distinctive bifurcated handles popular in the late 18th century. A further pair of vases, of identical form, but lacking covers, previously in the Wrightsman Collection are now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (see Accession Number 2019.283.43). Franzoni (1734-1818) was one of the most celebrated restorers of Antiquities, primarily working in the Vatican collections for Pope Pius VI. One of his most famous achievements was the Sala degli Animali in the Museo Pio-Clementino, often referred to as a 'stone zoo', due the extraordinary assembly of carved marble animals.