Monumental carved green serpentine Warwick Vase, 19th century

This modern interpretation of the antique Warwick Vase was created in the second half of the 19th century in the Neoclassical style. The vessel is carved fully in the round from a monolith of green serpentine. The body features the iconographic Bacchic relief with deeply carved masks of Sileni and Bacchantes, framed by thyrsus staffs and underlying lion pelts. The lateral handles are formed directly from the stone as freestanding, intertwined grapevines. The krater rests on a fluted round foot over a square, stepped plinth. The surface displays the natural veining of the rock as well as a darkened patina.