Souvenir basin from the Grand Tour, made of serpentine, c. 1820

This basin, a souvenir of the Grand Tour, is crafted from green serpentine and black serpentine and dates from around 1820. The green serpentine bowl features a wavy rim carved in the shape of a shell. It rests on four feet carved with acanthus leaves inspired by antiquity. The whole piece is mounted on a rectangular plinth of black serpentine, which showcases the basin. A visual examination reveals dark natural marbling as well as a central moulding encircling the body of the basin. Such objects were prized by travellers on the Grand Tour as mementoes of the historic sites and natural beauty they explored, particularly in Tuscany, where serpentine was abundant.