THE MANIFACTURE DE SÈVRES THE EXCELLENCE OF FRAGILITY
The Manifacture de Sèvres founded in Vincennes in 1738, was transferred to Sèvres in 1756 by order of King Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour, and in 1759 it passed under the exclusive control of the Crown with the name Manifacture Royale de Sèvres. The first European hard-paste porcelain had been created in 1708-1709 through the collaboration between physicist von Tschirnhausen and alchemist Böttger and the first factory was established in Meissen in 1710. The Manifacture de Sèvres started the hard-past porcelain – called "porcelain Royale" – only in 1768, after the first kaolin deposit was discovered in France while continuing to produce soft-paste porcelain or porcelaine de France. Artists summoned to create objects of unequalled quality and beauty included prestigious sculptors such as Pigalle, Clodion, Caffiéri, Houdon, and painters such as Aloncle, Evans, Dodin, and Noel. Production was almost exclusively by commission of the Royal House, for personal use or for diplomatic gifts, and only very rarely destined for sale.
Among the most celebrated works from the Manifacture Royale de Sèvres are the famous 500-piece apple-green set, given by Marie Antoinette to her brother, the Emperor Joseph II, in 1777, and the set known as the “Cameo Set”, commissioned by Catherine the Great of Russia for Prince Potemkin. The Cardinal of Rohan’s set is famous as well, consisting of 368 pieces and costing more than 20,000 livres. The entire production is characterized by the bright colors that were used: from gros bleu to bleu de roi, to bleu céleste, apple-green, rose Pompadour, yellow, red and black. Pieces were generally decorated with flowers and garlands, and with landscapes or mythological scenes within reserves on solid-color grounds. From 1752, figures, groups and surtouts de table in biscuit, a type of double-fired non-enamelled porcelain, were also created.
The Manifacture suffered a crisis during the Revolution, from which it recovered under Napoleon, becoming the Manifacture Imperiale. The production of softpaste porcelain ceased in 1804. In 1807, Napoleon commissioned the set known as the Service Olympique as a gift to the Czar Alexander. The Service d'entrée of 1809 was a gift from the Emperor to his sister Elisa, the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, decorated with motifs of swans and cameos, gold on a beau bleu background. In 1809, the set known as Marly Rouge or Butterfly Set was created, so-named because each of its 180 plates has a different butterfly depicted at its center; this set was presented at Fontainebleau in October of 1809, on the occasion of Napoleon’s return from the signing of the Treaty of Schönbrunn.
During the course of the XIX century, the Manifacture renewed its production many times according to changing tastes and styles, thanks to the collaboration with contemporary artists, and experimented with new techniques, such as pâte-sur-pâte, in the second half of the century. In 1876, the Manifacture moved near Saint Cloud park, where it remains today, together with the National Museum of Ceramics, and during the 1900’s, it continued its collaboration with celebrated artists such as Lalique, Matta e Sottsas. The unsurpassed excellence of the Manifacture de Sèvres continues to draw attention from collectors, institutions and museums. An elegant 1787 écuelle, top lot at the Furniture Auction on 24 May, was no exception, which, following fierce competition between those present in the auction hall, those on the telephone, and on-line bidders both Italian and foreign,was sold for € 68,600. The écuelle was part of a refined private collection of Sèvres porcelain and other 18th Century items.
by UMBERTA BOETTI VILLANIS
Among the most celebrated works from the Manifacture Royale de Sèvres are the famous 500-piece apple-green set, given by Marie Antoinette to her brother, the Emperor Joseph II, in 1777, and the set known as the “Cameo Set”, commissioned by Catherine the Great of Russia for Prince Potemkin. The Cardinal of Rohan’s set is famous as well, consisting of 368 pieces and costing more than 20,000 livres. The entire production is characterized by the bright colors that were used: from gros bleu to bleu de roi, to bleu céleste, apple-green, rose Pompadour, yellow, red and black. Pieces were generally decorated with flowers and garlands, and with landscapes or mythological scenes within reserves on solid-color grounds. From 1752, figures, groups and surtouts de table in biscuit, a type of double-fired non-enamelled porcelain, were also created.
The Manifacture suffered a crisis during the Revolution, from which it recovered under Napoleon, becoming the Manifacture Imperiale. The production of softpaste porcelain ceased in 1804. In 1807, Napoleon commissioned the set known as the Service Olympique as a gift to the Czar Alexander. The Service d'entrée of 1809 was a gift from the Emperor to his sister Elisa, the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, decorated with motifs of swans and cameos, gold on a beau bleu background. In 1809, the set known as Marly Rouge or Butterfly Set was created, so-named because each of its 180 plates has a different butterfly depicted at its center; this set was presented at Fontainebleau in October of 1809, on the occasion of Napoleon’s return from the signing of the Treaty of Schönbrunn.
During the course of the XIX century, the Manifacture renewed its production many times according to changing tastes and styles, thanks to the collaboration with contemporary artists, and experimented with new techniques, such as pâte-sur-pâte, in the second half of the century. In 1876, the Manifacture moved near Saint Cloud park, where it remains today, together with the National Museum of Ceramics, and during the 1900’s, it continued its collaboration with celebrated artists such as Lalique, Matta e Sottsas. The unsurpassed excellence of the Manifacture de Sèvres continues to draw attention from collectors, institutions and museums. An elegant 1787 écuelle, top lot at the Furniture Auction on 24 May, was no exception, which, following fierce competition between those present in the auction hall, those on the telephone, and on-line bidders both Italian and foreign,was sold for € 68,600. The écuelle was part of a refined private collection of Sèvres porcelain and other 18th Century items.
by UMBERTA BOETTI VILLANIS