Pair of glass vases with dragons - Escalier de Cristal – Rousseau & Leveillé, c. 1880–1890.

These vases are the result of a collaboration between Eugène Rousseau (1827–1890) and Ernest Baptiste Leveillé (1841–1913) for the Escalier de Cristal. Combining polychromy, transparency, and the brilliance of gold, they fully reflect the artistic taste of the late 19th century. Likely produced in the 1880s–1890s, they occupy the boundary between Japonisme and Art Nouveau, while retaining the pronounced taste for polychromy characteristic of the Second Empire (1851–1870).

Japonisme emerged from Japan's participation in the Universal Exhibition held in Paris in 1867, which introduced numerous models and techniques into Parisian workshops and beyond. Rousseau, barely embarked on his glassmaking career, was deeply inspired by this new Japanese aesthetic and produced, in collaboration with the Lebeuf & Millet manufactory, a first fine earthenware service inspired by the drawings of Hokusai.

The Art Nouveau quality of these vases is expressed through the evocation of nature in the "chalcedony" glasswork, the organic character of the forms and colours, and the very craft of glassmaking itself. Indeed, Art Nouveau was marked by a revival of the art of glass, with towering figures such as Émile Gallé, Daum Nancy, and René Lalique. Eugène Rousseau and Ernest Leveillé likewise contributed to the production of highly innovative glasswork thoroughly characteristic of their era.

The vases bear a label attesting to their provenance from the Escalier de Cristal. This celebrated Parisian decorative arts emporium was founded around 1808 in the Palais-Royal, before relocating in 1872 to the Rue Scribe, steps from the Opéra — as referenced on the labels of these very vases. In 1885, a dedicated "Japonisme" department was established within the store to meet the ever-growing demand for such works. The Escalier de Cristal was renowned for combining materials such as crystal, bronze, ceramics, and wood — an assemblage that reflects an eclectic period of great freedom in artistic creation. The most talented craftsmen in the Paris region were commissioned to produce increasingly refined objects worthy of the city's discerning and wealthy clientele.