Porcelain Set. Manufacture Nationale De Sèvres, France, 1819

A set of museum-quality porcelain pieces, produced at the Sèvres National Porcelain Manufactory in 1819, constituting a remarkable example of French decorative arts from the Restoration period. The set consists of two large lidded vases and a large central vase, forming a ceremonial arrangement intended for the reception rooms of aristocratic and official residences.

The bodies are crafted from fine Sèvres porcelain and covered with a deep cobalt-blue ground known as “lapis blue,” characteristic of early 19th-century production. The surfaces are richly adorned with finely gilded floral and rocaille motifs. The central panels feature polychrome galant and pastoral scenes, inspired by the 18th-century French pictorial tradition, with delicately rendered figures and ethereal landscape backgrounds.

The interior of the central vase is decorated with floral garlands and a central bouquet rendered in fine polychrome. The vases rest on polygonal bases adorned with mercury-gilded bronze mounts. The handles, depicting allegorical female figures, are characteristic of early 19th-century aesthetics and attest to the close collaboration between the Sèvres manufactory and the major Parisian foundries. The removable lids are topped with gilded pinecones, accentuating the architectural and solemn character of the ensemble.

Markings: Letter-date “A” within a numeral—1819 (Manufacture nationale de Sèvres); underglaze painter’s mark “S…”—a decorator at the Sèvres Manufactory, active in the 1810s–1820s.

Dimensions: Central vase – Height 43.4 cm, Width 47 cm, Depth 25 cm; vases – Height 71 cm, Width 28 cm, Depth 21 cm.

Condition: Good. Slight signs of age and wear. Gilding well preserved, vivid polychrome decoration, with no chips or restorations.

ID-ANTQ-3348