Muller Fres Cameo Glass Vase Meets Greek Mythology

This just landed, and it far exceeded my expectations!

Initially I thought this Muller Frères cameo glass and enameled vase depicted a lovely scene of Art Nouveau nymphs frolicking in the forest. As I more closely examined it, I noticed that one of the figures was not a nymph at all, but the Greek mythological character Pan.

In Greek mythology, Pan is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature of mountain wilds and rustic music, and companion of the nymphs. He has the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat, with his homeland in rustic Arcadia, he is also recognized as the god of fields, groves, and wooded glens; because of this, Pan is connected to fertility and the season of spring.

Muller Frères were French glassmakers located in Lunéville, France. They were renowned for producing Art Nouveau glassworks such as vases and lampshades.

The Muller family originally came from Alsace. Some members of the family worked together with Émile Gallé before starting their own business.