Carrara & Portor Marble, france Circa 1850

White marble (Carrara) basin, on a carved baluster pedestal. The wide bowl with a rolled edge, whose outer body is carved in bas-relief with floral scrolls, fleurettes, and acanthus leaves, crowns a shaft adorned with straight fluting, topped by a rosette collar, and decorated with carved flower garlands and tied ribbons. Carved from veined orange breccia marble, the octagonal plinth with canted corners, highlighted by an ogee molding, rests on a black Portoro marble base.

Given its shape, its basin, and its dimensions, this vessel likely originates from a church where it was used as a holy water font (bénitier). A holy water font is a basin containing holy water, made available to the faithful in Catholic churches.