Pair Of Sèvres Porcelain Biscuits Depicting Jeannot And Jeannette

This charming pair of soft-paste porcelain figures depicts Jeannot and Jeannette, two characters from the popular and theatrical repertoire of the 18th century. Produced by the prestigious royal Sèvres factory at the end of the reign of Louis XVI, these models demonstrate both the taste for pastoral scenes and the technical excellence of French porcelain of this period. The figures of Jeannot and Jeannette were originally designed by the sculptor Jean-Jacques Bachelier, artistic director of Sèvres in the 1760s and 1770s. These figures embody rustic innocence and simple country loves, in the spirit of the genre scenes dear to Greuze or the comedy of Marivaux. The model is in the tradition of figures known as “in the manner of the Italian Comedy,” very fashionable in the second half of the 18th century. Jeannot, lantern in hand, seems surprised or expectant, while Jeannette holds out a letter, a narrative clue often interpreted as a gallant exchange or amorous correspondence. The delicate modeling, the folds of the fabrics and the fineness of the details testify to the unparalleled expertise of the Sèvres artisans in the work of biscuit, this unglazed porcelain prized for its marble-like finish. Both pieces have undergone old restorations visible in certain areas (to be specified according to examination in hand), and there are some losses, notably on ends or fragile attributes. These alterations, however, do not detract from the decorative and historical value of the set, rare on the market. Similar examples are in the collections of the Musée national de Céramique de Sèvres and sometimes in private or museum collections abroad (Victoria and Albert Museum, Wallace Collection).