Mid-20th-Century Renaissance-Style Apothecary Jar w/ Serpent Handles - 18"

A highly decorative mid-20th-century lidded apothecary jar produced by the Léon Warin manufacture. Generous in scale and theatrical in silhouette, the jar is conceived in the tradition of Renaissance Italian maiolica, whose monumental pharmacy vessels were designed to project authority, learning, and visual richness. The baluster-form body rises on a pedestal foot and is crowned with a domed lid and tall, tiered finial, creating a commanding architectural profile. Twin twisted serpent handles coil dramatically from the shoulders, while the surface is entirely hand-painted in a refined palette of soft greens, warm ochres, and iron red on a luminous ivory ground. Flowing arabesques, flowering scrolls, birds, and small figural vignettes animate the form, while the bold cartouche inscribed THÉRIAQUE refers to a celebrated medicinal compound, used for centuries in European apothecaries as a universal remedy, also known as "Panacea". Visible loss of glaze to the lid.

Léon Warin was a French glass engineer active at the turn of the 20th century, whose work focused on the design and manufacture of apothecary and pharmaceutical vessels. Over the course of the 20th century, the manufacture he founded evolved and became established in Malicorne, where it produced high-quality ceramic interpretations of historic apothecary jars, valued for their craftsmanship, decorative richness, and continuity with antique pharmacy wares. The mark, formed from the interlaced initials L and W, is cleverly arranged to resemble an apothecary scale, underscoring the workshop’s enduring connection to pharmaceutical tradition.

Set as a focal point on a mantel, library bookshelf, or within a collection in a china cabinet, its commanding scale and sculptural serpent handles create immediate visual drama. It can be displayed as a standalone statement or incorporated into a curated collection of apothecary jars, where its bold form anchors the arrangement.