Realized between 1877 and 1883, this jardinière belongs to the ambitious program of the director Edoardo Marchionni of maintaining the activity of the workshop at its highest level, producing very challenging artworks together with more commercial items.
The monumental flower stand, almost two meters tall, is composed of a heavy base in Bardiglio di Seravezza (marble from the Apuane Alps) inlaid with Persian lapislazzuli, in contrast with the exotic crowning element. This has been conceived as an octagonal hollow vase, to hold a plant, with Florentine mosaic panels on four sides with figured subjects alternating with flowers. At the corners, there are oriental style mascarons carved in Cyprus red jasper.
The artwork was inspired by various artistic tendencies: in the figure of Flora it is possible to recognize a female prototype in vogue during the Belle Époque, whilst in the figure of the Child in a garden, one can see its connections with Macchiaioli paintings; in the flowers and mascarons there are oriental suggestions, as highly in vogue in contemporary Europe.
The jardinière belongs to a series of artworks intended to be sold to support the ancient Medici institution. Put up for sale at the exorbitant price of 65.000 lire, it was never sold.
