Monumental snake-handled vase by Rörstrand with Apollo and Diana in a chariot Porcelain stoneware. Ovoid body of biscuit porcelain over a raised round foot with a nodus, with an indented neck merging into a wide, sweeping mouth rim. Surrounding ornamental relief borders of egg-and-dart, tongue leaf, wavy band and architectural frieze. Starting from the rounded shoulder, two spiralling snake handles rising from acanthus leaves in high relief. All-over matt background in black and blue. The mythological depiction of the chariot hovering on clouds, led by Apollo and Diana respectively, with a four-horse chariot and two people in light-coloured outline decoration imitating marble, centrally on both sides of the wall. After a graphic design by Tommaso Piroli. Polychrome painting with rich gold decoration. Designed after a model by Ernst August Leuteritz for the Meissen porcelain manufactory. Dated "1867". Opening with screwed wooden plate. Marked; manufactory mark. H. 101 cm. An old photograph by Oscar Kramer shows the Rörstrand stand at the World Exhibition in Vienna in 1873, with a snake-handled vase of the same shape and decoration crowning the product range. In the competition between nations and exhibitors, the vase can be seen as a competing exhibit to the Leuteritz models from the Meissen manufactory. Both scenes were originally part of a wall and ceiling painting created by Perino del Vaga and Giovanni da Udine in the Vatican's Appartamento Borgia in the first quarter of the 16th century. The exemplary series of etchings was created in the 19th century, probably by Tommaso Piroli. Both sheets are in the Hamburger Kunsthalle (inv. no.: kb-1915-645-1 and inv. no.: kb-1915-645-2). Cf. Oscar Kramer (photographer), Wiener Photographen-Association (publisher), World Exhibition 1873: Porzellanfabrik Rörstrand, Stockholm (no. 1249), 1873, Wien Museum inv. no. 78080/72,CC0 (https:sammlung.wienmuseum.at/objekt/567438/), last accessed on 11 March 2025 // A monumental Swedish stoneware and biscuit porcelain snake-handled vase with Apollo and Diana in a chariot. Probably exhibited at the 1873 World Exhibition in Vienna. Dated 1867. Opening with screwed wooden plate. Rubbed. Manufacturer's mark. Sweden. Rörstrand. 1867.