Manufacture Royale de Sèvres, Collection de la Marquise de Pompadour, 1759.

Exceptional lot, from the personal collection of the Marquise de Pompadour.
MANUFACTURE ROYALE DE SÈVRES, YEAR 1759.

Set comprising a circular bouillon bowl with two side handles featuring scrolls and acanthus leaves, and its oval tray with poly-lobed rim in Sèvres soft-paste porcelain (characteristic for its milky whiteness and the depth of its enamels).
Marks under the base of each piece, the two interlaced "L" of the Manufacture Royale, the letter-date "G" for the year 1759, and the painter's mark "S" for Pierre-Antoine Mérault l'Aîné.

The extremely refined decoration belongs to the highly sought-after "mosaic" or "lattice" category.
The lattice is geometrically structured with blue fillets intersecting to form lozenges, each intersection punctuated with a burnished gold dot to create a relief effect.
The Reserves with large poly-lobed cartouches, underlined by gold scrolls, feature bouquets of flowers "au naturel". These include old roses, tulips, anemones and cornflowers, painted with the virtuosity of Mérault l'Aîné, one of Sèvres' most illustrious flower painters.
The rich gilding on the handles, "wolf's tooth" rims and reserve frames testifies to the splendor of production for the Court.

Not only is this piece a masterpiece of ceramic art, it is also a privileged witness to French history.
Thanks to research carried out in the Archives of the Manufacture de Sèvres (Registre de vente Vy 3, folio 45v), this set is one of the personal purchases of Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de POMPADOUR.
The bowl and its tray were acquired by Louis XV's favorite in December 1760 for 108 livres.
The Marquise, a true patron of the Sèvres manufactory (which she had transferred near her Bellevue château), paid particular attention to these intimate objects, which accompanied her in her daily life at Versailles or the Château de Ménars.

It's rare to be able to link an object so intimately to the "Godmother" of French porcelain. The Marquise de Pompadour was not just a customer; she was the reason Sèvres became the world's most prestigious factory.
It was at her instigation that the factory moved from the Château de Vincennes to Sèvres in 1756, just a stone's throw from her Château de Bellevue. She wanted to keep a close eye on production.
The écuelle was a very personal object in the 18th century. It was used for "morning broth" or light snacks in the "petits appartements".
Knowing that this piece was purchased by her in December 1760 allows us to imagine the object in the daily life of the favorite at Versailles or Ménars, at a time when she was struggling to maintain her political influence while cultivating her taste for the arts.

The traceability of Vy 3, f° 45v in the registers of sales to counters (direct sales) proves that this purchase was a direct order or an immediate "coup de coeur" at an exhibition. At this time, she was spending fortunes to encourage the Manufacture to surpass the productions of Meissen (Germany).

The choice of painter Pierre-Antoine MÉRAULT, dit l'Aîné (active at the Manufacture from 1754-1791) for this piece is no coincidence. He was one of the pillars of the Manufacture for almost forty years, and one of the most talented flower painters of his generation.
He was the preferred painter for the Marquise's commissions. His specialty of "au naturel" bouquets perfectly matched Madame de Pompadour's taste for botany and fresh floral designs.
In contrast to the more stylized or rigid floral designs of the fin de siècle, Mérault excelled in the "Rocaille" style. His bouquets are asymmetrical, lively and use a palette of colors of great subtlety. Observe the fine gradations on the petals of the central rose: the signature of a master.
Mérault was often called upon to create complex decors requiring great geometric precision. The decoration on this piece, with its deep-blue crosses punctuated with gold, demanded a hand of absolute regularity, as the slightest error in laying the blue before firing was irremediable.
Today, his work can be found in some of the world's greatest collections, including the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Victoria & Albert Museum (London) and, of course, the Musée National de Céramique de Sèvres.


Very fine condition, with remarkably fresh original gilding.
Presented without its lid, the set nevertheless retains all its superb historical value.

Dimensions: This is the "1st size" model.
Oval tray: Length 26 cm / Width 21 cm.
Bowl: Diameter at lip 14 cm / Span with l

Ref: EG5LX17Q8D