These bronze-mounted Sèvres porcelain urns are monumental in both size and quality and feature the renowned manufactory’s signature deep cobalt blue glaze. Sèvres urns were made in various sizes and qualities over the years, with the finest examples dating from between 1850 and 1880. Yet even among the best examples, these urns stand apart. First, the great majority of Sèvres urns were fitted with minimum “stock” bronze. Very few boasted the handcrafted mercury-gilded bronze mounts such as those featured here. Additionally, most urns created were approximately one quarter to half the size of these monumental beauties. It is assumed by most experts that the smaller examples were sold in retail establishments, while very rare large pieces were made only for special commissions for an elite clientele, earning them the moniker “palace urns.” Designed in the Rococo style, the baluster-form urns feature hand-painted panels depicting figures from Greek mythology, including Neptune, the god of the sea, with his wife Amphitrite. Remarkably rendered landscapes of Greek ruins adorn the reverse. The urns’ exceptional artistry extends to their bronze ormolu mounts, on which putti support scrolling branches at the handles. Resting atop neoclassical pillars, these urns embody the singular aesthetic of Sèvres prized porcelain. The vases bear the signature "A. Nicolas" within each painted scene. Circa 1860 48 1/4” high