Bust Of Queen Marie Antoinette In Biscuit Porcelain, A Lecomte Design By Samson

A bust portrait of Queen Marie-Antoinette in biscuit porcelain, based on Felix Lecomte’s original marble model, presented at the 1783 Salon, and now housed at the Palace of Versailles. The Queen is depicted in full regalia, clad in the royal fleur-de-lis cloak lined with ermine, wearing a medallion around her neck featuring the profile of Louis XVI, and her hair styled in a high updo adorned with flowers. A 19th-century royalist artifact, this piece was produced by the Samson Manufactory in Paris

The Samson family’s “Manufacture of Porcelain, Earthenware, and Terracotta” (spanning four generations) is the finest example, in the field of ceramic arts, of the interest shown in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, in styles of the past—such as the 18th century, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance—as well as in all things exotic, from Spain to Saxony to China. With a rich, varied, and high-quality output, the Samsons were masters of imitation and the finest reproducers of antique pieces in the field of ceramic art. The factory was awarded numerous medals at the world’s fairs of the second half of the 19th century, earning it international renown, particularly among museums. While the factory was regarded in the 19th century as an excellent producer of perfect copies, the perfection of its pieces and the reputation it earned have in fact made its work highly sought after by collectors today—an equivalent to Sormani in the world of ceramics.

Excellent condition, no damage. A beautiful, highly decorative collector’s piece that is much more affordable than the Sèvres version.

Height: 42.3 cm
Width: 22 cm