Lladro Porcelain vase from the Lover's Eyes collection

In 1785, when Maria Anne Fitzherbert opened a love letter from her admirer, Prince George of Wales, she wasn’t expecting to find an eye gazing intently back at her. The prince had fallen in love with Fitzherbert, but their courtship had been disastrous. Royal laws forbade a Catholic widow like his beloved from becoming a monarch. But the prince was determined to marry her and he wrote her a letter containing a rare, spellbinding gift, a miniature painting of George’s own right eye. Eye miniatures, also known as lover’s eyes, cropped up across Britain and were in vogue for around half a century. As with the royal couple, most were commissioned as gifts expressing devotion between loved ones. All were intimate and exceedingly precious, meant to be tucked into pockets, or pinned close to the heart. The Lover’s Eyes collection is inspired by this fascinating tradition, bringing into the 21st century a series of functional objects that seem to look back at us. In this case, a vase featuring an eye etched in vivid detail on the porcelain. It is decorated in a combination of intense Saxony blue and golden luster on white porcelain. A creation full of meaning, both functional and hypnotic.