Petite French Bronze Médicis Urn w/ Putti Frieze Circa 1900 - 9½""

A petite Médicis-form urn in cast bronze, likely French, circa 1900, richly worked in the Neoclassical taste. The surface carries a dark olive-brown patina with scattered verdigris and gentle rubbing across the high points. The body is encircled by a deeply modeled bas-relief frieze depicting playful putti amid grapevines and a goat, rendered in the antique manner. A broad gadrooned rim crowns the composition, flanked by elaborate foliate scrolled handles. Below, a waisted socle with lobed and fluted ornament rises from a square plinth, completing the ornate silhouette.

The Médicis shape, inspired by ancient Roman craters rediscovered in Italy during the Renaissance, became a reference form across Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, revived again under the Neoclassical and Belle Époque styles. Around 1900, French foundries continued to adapt this iconic model, combining archaeological motifs with exuberant decorative detail. The Bacchic imagery of vines, putti, and goat reflects Dionysian themes long favored in the decorative arts, while the sharply cut gadroons, foliate scrolls, and refined chasing demonstrate the virtuosity of French bronze casting at the time.

Despite its modest scale, this urn makes a highly decorative statement. It suits a mantel, console, or library shelf, where the richly worked bronze contrasts beautifully with marble, dark woods, or pale plaster. Display it alone as a sculptural object, pair it with a classical bust, or group it with antique books to heighten its scholarly charm. With the addition of a discreet glass liner, it may even hold a small bouquet of wildflowers, softening its classical gravitas with a poetic, timeless note.