Collection
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Subject: This large vase is molded on its front with a lively relief depicting the Triumph of Dionysus and Ariadne. The Greek god of wine sits beside his bride, Ariadne, in a chariot pulled by two leopards. They are preceded by a maenad, a female devotee of the god, and Cupid, the god of love, who blows a hunting horn, while behind the chariot marches a satyr and another maenad, also blowing a horn. The vase’s scroll handles terminate with grape clusters, an attribute for Dionysus. The Vase’s Talented but Disreputable Modeler: John Voyez was a talented but controversial French modeler who worked in England from 1767 to about 1791. He spent his first year in London, but by July 1768 he was in Burslem, Staffordshire, working for Josiah Wedgwood. Voyez’s relationship with Wedgwood soon soured, however, for in January 1769 Voyez was sentenced to spend seven years in a penal colony for stealing clay models from his employer. Voyez’s punishment was ultimately reduced to three months of imprisonment. Vase’s Manufacturer: Humphrey Palmer (1725–1786) was a Staffordshire potter and a serious rival of Wedgwood in the late 1760s and early 1770s, when Palmer competed directly with him in the market for high-quality, black basalt wares. Palmer employed a number of talented craftsmen, including Enoch Wood and John Voyez, whom he hired in 1769 when Voyez was released from prison. In 1778, Palmer transferred ownership of his pottery to James Neale (circa 1740–1814). Vase’s Rarity: This vase is one of only four vases modeled and signed by Voyez while he was employed by Palmer, although he may be responsible for another pair as well. Nevertheless, the Mint’s vase is the only one with the “Dionysus and Ariadne” theme, and it is a singular creation. Voyez’s other vases are in public collections in America and England.