This spill vase was made by a Russian Private Factory in the mid nineteenth century. The subject matter makes it so.
A man in traditional Russian costume appears to have had one too many for the road. He poses defiantly in his drunkenness, his left hand still clutching the bottle.
I was told this was a boatman by someone familiar with Russian historical fashion. There is something missing on the right side of the basket. Maybe some tool of the boatman’s trade.
The modelling of the figure is too crude to be the work of one of the major factories. The enamel work is also of a lesser standard.
The quality of the porcelain used in the pressing is superb. Bright, clean and translucent. The glaze has a slight blue tinge where it pools. I have a hunch this piece is from the Gzhel region. Research ongoing.
The costumes we wear today might be different but the scene has a certain familiarity. Some things change and some things don’t.
