Silver Ewer, Paris, 1781, Jean-baptiste-françois Chéret

Weight: 656 g

A jug resting on a rounded circular foot, featuring a smooth base bordered by a frieze of acanthus leaves. The tall, slender body, which bulges slightly toward the bottom, is decorated with a series of elongated ribs that taper toward the base. The smooth, tapered neck gently extends into a wide spout with a pointed tip. The rim of the neck is engraved with a motif of plant scrolls.

The ewer is closed by a smooth, hinged lid, topped in the center by a raised knob in the shape of a rose. The handle, made of ebony, is contoured and S-shaped. It is attached to the body by two silver sockets adorned with engraved laurel leaves.

ABOUT THE SILVERSMITH:

Jean-Baptiste-François Chéret (1728–1811) was one of the leading Parisian silversmiths of the second half of the 18th century, active during the late Rococo period and the early days of French Neoclassicism. Born in Paris, he spent his entire career there. He earned his master’s certificate in 1759.

Chéret specialized in producing luxury silverware for the aristocracy and the upper middle class. In particular, he created soup tureens, teapots, candlesticks, toiletries sets, and tableware of exceptional craftsmanship. His work combines the fluidity of late Rococo forms with the more orderly aesthetics of the Louis XVI style. His creations are distinguished by rich decorations featuring rocaille motifs, shells, acanthus leaves, and floral patterns, as well as by the particularly meticulous modeling of the cast elements.

He was also active within the Parisian silversmiths’ guild, where he held positions related to tax oversight, the management of the guild’s finances, and the verification of the fineness of the metals used by its members.

Chéret’s works are now held in numerous public and private collections, notably at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which owns his candlesticks, ewers, and other silverware dating from the 1760s to the 1780s.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Arminjon, C., Beaupuis, J., Bilimoff, M., Dictionary of Hallmarks of Gold and Silver Artisans in Paris and the Seine Region, 1798–1838, Paris, 1991, pp. 236, 345, no. 02277.

Markezana Y., French Hallmarks for Gold, Silver, and Platinum from 1275 to the Present, Turin, 2005, pp. 25, 32.

ONLINE SOURCES:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=Jean-Baptiste-Fran%C3%A7ois+Ch%C3%A9ret&searchField=ArtistCulture