Pair of Oversized French Medici Cast Iron Garden Urns w/ Beautiful Timeworn Patina, circa 1940 - 38¼"

This impressive pair of large French cast iron garden urns, dating from around 1940, follows the classical Medici form, with generous flared rims, deep bowls and substantial stepped square bases. Their imposing proportions are balanced by their elegant, elongated silhouettes and restrained decoration, with a band of stylized foliage around the rims and pronounced fluting on the lower bowls. Raised on slender pedestal stems, they have a strong architectural presence and a lovely sense of symmetry.

Decades of outdoor exposure have given the cast iron a remarkable timeworn patina, with layers of faded pale blue-green paint, warm reddish-brown oxidation and traces of the original dark finish. The irregular distribution of colors and textures is especially appealing, giving each urn its individual appearance. Both urns have drainage holes, and one has a small, barely visible tear in the fluted lower bowl, with no impact on its use. 

With their impressive scale, classical proportions and beautifully weathered surfaces, these urns would make a striking statement in a garden or courtyard. They would look particularly beautiful flanking the entrance to a country house, framing a garden staircase or standing at either end of a stone terrace. Whether planted with greenery or left empty, they bring classical elegance together with the relaxed, timeworn character of an old country garden.