Cobalt-blue Porcelain Portrait Plate, Sèvres Style, Mme élisabeth, Ca. 1870–1890

An exceptional late 19th-century French hard-paste porcelain serving plate, manufactured and decorated in Paris in the elegant Sèvres style, circa 1870–1890.

The plate, with a scalloped rim, features in the center a finely hand-painted bust portrait of Madame Élisabeth of France (1764–1794), the younger sister of Louis XVI. Having remained with her brother and the royal family during the French Revolution, she was guillotined in Paris in 1794, during the Reign of Terror.

The portrait bears the handwritten signature “Poitevin” in the lower right corner. Poitevin was the talented artist who headed the Parisian porcelain decoration studio responsible for this work. The wide panel features a deep cobalt blue background, enhanced by rich, burnished gilding in relief in the Rococo Revival style. The decoration includes foliage, floral garlands, roses, pearls, and scalloped leaf borders.

The reverse bears the handwritten purple inscription “Mme Elisabeth.” It also bears a blue pseudo-Sèvres mark under the glaze, consisting of intertwined “L”s surrounding the arbitrary date letter “G,” as well as the potter’s register number imprinted in the clay.

Dimensions: diameter 24.3 cm; height 2.5 cm; weight 392 g.

Condition: excellent condition. When examined under UV light, the painted surface shows no visible scratches and appears to have been used very little. The hand-painted portrait is beautifully preserved. The gilding is in excellent condition, with only minimal and barely noticeable signs of wear along the rim.

Please examine the attached photographs carefully, as they are an integral part of this description. If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them. The item will be shipped with full tracking and insurance.