Bust Of Sadi Carnot In Sèvres Biscuit Porcelain, Signed By Cougny And Dated 1891, Carnot The Senator

An elegant and rare bisque porcelain bust from Sèvres depicting Marie François Sadi Carnot (1837–1894), President of the French Republic, shown here beneath the inscription “Carnot Senator”.

The work rests on a rectangular Sèvres blue porcelain pedestal accented with gold fillets. The model is signed Cougny and dated 1891, and the base also bears the Sèvres Manufactory’s gold mark S.92, attesting to a period production run.

The portrait is distinguished by the remarkable finesse of its modeling: precise rendering of the facial features, naturalistic depiction of the beard and mustache, elegance of the official attire, and exceptional quality of the bisque firing. This piece attests to the expertise of the Sèvres Manufactory in the late 19th century in the creation of official portraits of leading figures of the Third Republic.

Busts of political figures produced by Sèvres during this period are now less common on the market than allegorical or mythological subjects, which makes this piece of particular interest to both collectors of Sèvres porcelain and enthusiasts of historical memorabilia from the Third Republic.

In fine original condition, with a few tiny black firing spots.
Dated to the late 19th century.
Shipping via carrier: 50 euros within France, 150 euros within the EU, and 300 euros to the rest of the world.