IN THE MUSEUMS

Vase – Louis XVI era

Manufacture royale de Porcelaine de Sèvres (“Garden vase with dolphins”) – Hard-paste porcelain.
Pierre Joseph Rosset l’Ainé, painter. Jean Pierre Boulanger, gilder.

Provenance: Gift of the Kraemer family.
Musée du Louvre, Paris.

This beautiful vase was made in the Manufacture Royale de Porcelaines de Sèvres.

The manufacture was created in 1740 by Louis XV, who was eager to compete with the Chantilly and Meissen factories. It was based on a drawing by Louis-Simon Boizot; it was gilded by Jean Pierre Boulanger and painted by Pierre Joseph l’Ainé.

The gilded ornaments contrast with the “beau bleu” (beautiful blue) background, which features two medallions on either side. They both represent landscapes with ruins, and they are framed by reed sculptures. The handles represent two dolphins sitting side by side.
The blue that was used in the background became the trademark of the Manufacture de Sèvres. It is a cobalt blue that was created in 1778. The Manufacture was internationally renowned for this colour. It used to adorn most of the works of art that were intended for the royal family.

This vase is typical of the Manufacture de Sèvres’ craftsmanship, but its size and its ornaments are what makes it truly original.