Art Whisper Open the appOpen app
Pastoral Vase by Isaac Broome

Pastoral Vase

Isaac Broome · 1871

Scroll

“Stop to admire this elegant porcelain vase, which brings a tranquil, classical pastoral scene to life with its beautifully sculpted figures and delicate tinted surface. It's a charming example of 19th-century decorative art.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

This tinted porcelain vase transports us to an idyllic rural scene, where a young woman, adorned in classical drapery, tends to a goat. Her posture is relaxed, her gaze gentle, as she offers grapes to the animal. On the opposite side, a male figure, also in classical attire, completes the pastoral tableau, suggesting a timeless connection between humanity and nature. The delicate, almost translucent quality of the tinted porcelain medium enhances the serene atmosphere, giving the figures a soft, ethereal glow. This work exemplifies the late 19th-century fascination with neoclassical themes and the decorative arts, transforming a functional object into a sculptural narrative. Isaac Broome created this piece around 1871, a period when he was actively exploring the expressive potential of porcelain.

DETAILS
Artist
Isaac Broome
Date
1871
Medium
tinted porcelain
Location
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dimensions
18 x 10 x 9 in. (45.7 x 25.4 x 22.9 cm)
Collection
The American Wing
Culture
American
Credit line
Gift of Jacqueline Loewe Fowler, 2011
LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Pastoral Vase
01

Observe the subtle tinting of the porcelain, giving the figures a lifelike warmth.

02

Note the classical drapery on both figures, evoking ancient Greek and Roman art.

03

See the grapes offered by the woman, a symbol of abundance and fertility.

04

Look closely at the goat, rendered with surprising detail and a gentle expression.

+1

1 more detail is waiting.

See all 5 in Art Whisper →
AUDIO DEEP DIVE

Stand in front of it and listen

The full narration walks you through Pastoral Vase — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.

Get the free app
0:00Preview · 0:30Free preview · 0:30 Hear the full story in the app
THE ARTIST

Isaac Broome

1836–1922 · United States

Canadian-born sculptor who shaped America's Centennial with patriotic porcelain busts and decorative reliefs.

Read Broome’s full story
MORE FROM THIS ARTIST

Further Works by Broome

1 / 2
Broadside Broadside 1873 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art George Washington George Washington 1873 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Catcher Catcher 1875 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bust of Benjamin Franklin Bust of Benjamin Franklin 1876 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Covered Sugar Bowl Covered Sugar Bowl 1876 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bracket Bracket 1877 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Tile Tile 1884 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bust of Cleopatra Bust of Cleopatra 1914 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
KEEP EXPLORING

More works to explore

Beyond Broome: works from the same years.

Cart with Black Ox Same era · 1850s–1880s Cart with Black Ox Vincent van Gogh · 1884 · Portland Art Museum Barks Fleeing Before the Storm Same era · 1850s–1880s Barks Fleeing Before the Storm Léon-Victor Dupré · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago Paris Street; Rainy Day Same era · 1850s–1880s Paris Street; Rainy Day Kawabata Gyokushō · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago The Backgammon Players Same era · 1850s–1880s The Backgammon Players Philip Webb · 1861 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884 Same era · 1850s–1880s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884 Okada Saburosuke · 1884 · Art Institute of Chicago Apples Same era · 1850s–1880s Apples Gustave Courbet · 1871 · National Museum of Western Art Bearded Man Same era · 1850s–1880s Bearded Man Mariano Fortuny Marsal · 1871 · Hispanic Society of America The Crystal Palace Same era · 1850s–1880s The Crystal Palace Camille Pissarro · 1871 · Art Institute of Chicago
Hear Pastoral Vase’s storyFree in the Art Whisper app Open