Financier and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. had a long-standing affinity for modern art and contributed to shaping New York institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His eclectic collection comprised this pair of jars produced by the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres in the context of the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Rockefeller acquired the pair directly from the Exposition. Offered together with a period handwritten note from their eminent first owner, the jars certainly held a special place within the prestigious collection.

As the note correctly describes, the present jars are miniature versions of the monumental towers surrounding the entrance of the Sèvres Pavilion at the Exposition. They faithfully replicate every detail of these architectural structures with incredibly vivid details, from the floral decoration around the shoulders to the meticulously sculpted lids with spiraling relief carvings. The urns were originally designed by architect Pierre Patout and sculptor Jean-Baptiste Gauvenet. Henri Rapin, artistic advisor at Sèvres between 1920 and 1934, conceived the remainder of the Sèvres pavilion for the Exposition together with Patout—an extravagant architectural creation centered around a garden covered with ceramic tiles. The eight monumental vases, whose decorations recall the design of Chinoiserie fountains, punctuated the garden and figured among the highlights of the Exposition. This international event helped establish the reputation of the Manufacture de Sèvres as the producer of high-quality ceramic goods large and small, whether made of porcelain, faience, or stoneware.

The exquisite execution and flawless provenance of these two miniature jars executed in concordance with this important event contribute to their stature as masterpieces from the esteemed porcelain maker. Another model is in held in the collections of the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres under inventory number 2012.1.5201.