Exceptional Pair of Antique Italian Marble Medici Urns on Pedestals - 29¼"

An exceptional pair of large Medici-form urns on plinths, likely Italian, dating from the early 20th century.  Each is carved from richly veined green serpentine marble and constructed in three sections, with a broad flaring bowl above a gadrooned lower body, turned socle, and substantial architectural pedestal. The carving is crisp and beautifully proportioned, from the repeating leaf ornament around the rim to the deeply modeled gadrooning and restrained paneling of the bases. The stone itself is a major part of their appeal: shifting tones of moss green, gray, cream, and charcoal move dramatically across the surfaces, giving each urn its own individual character while maintaining the visual unity of the pair. No visible defects were observed.

The form derives from the celebrated Medici Vase, an ancient monumental krater that became an enduring model for European decorative arts from the Renaissance onward. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the Medici form had been reinterpreted in a wide range of proportions, materials, and decorative treatments, becoming one of the defining motifs of European garden design and grand classical interiors.

The considerable scale, disciplined classical form, and extraordinary veining give the pair a particularly sophisticated presence. The serpentine marble prevents the symmetry from feeling static: its dramatic markings animate the surfaces almost theatrically, making the two pieces subtly different from every angle. Used to flank an entrance, doorway, console, or architectural vista, with or without planting, they bring a sense of grandeur and cultivated formality while remaining deeply individual objects.