Earthenware Bowl With Large, Nevers 18th Century — Trompe-l'œil With Fourteen Pears

Earthenware bowl with contoured rim, Nevers, 18th century Trompe-l'oeil with fourteen pears — museum model This bowl of rare distinction, made in earthenware from the Nevers workshops in the 18th century, belongs to the most virtuoso tradition of French trompe-l'oeil. Its contoured rim, of sculptural elegance, frames an exceptional composition of fourteen pears, modeled and glazed with a naturalism of rare intensity, where each chromatic nuance—from tender green to amber yellow—renders the fruit's ripeness with almost illusionistic precision. By its subject, its quality of execution, and its scale, this piece belongs to the select circle of Nevers creations preserved in major institutions, notably the Louvre Museum, where comparable works illustrate the refinement and decorative audacity of 18th-century French faience. Characteristics: Diameter: 23 cm; Height: 13 cm; Weight: 1.7 kg. The reverse reveals a carefully turned ring foot, surrounded by a polychrome floral decoration applied with a sure hand characteristic of the finest Nevers workshops. The piece demonstrates masterful craftsmanship, where technical virtuosity is combined with a rare artistic sensibility. Condition: The cup is distinguished by its remarkable state of preservation, retaining the freshness of its glaze and the vibrancy of its palette. Only a few very slight chips are visible, discreet and perfectly consistent with the age of the piece, which do not detract from its appearance, presence, or museum value. A virtually identical model decorated with apples, from the same set of 18th-century trompe-l'œil pieces from the Nivernais region, is also offered for sale in our gallery.