Optat Milet, Sèvres Porcelain, Circa 1880

French School: FélixOptat MILET, Sèvres porcelain, circa 1880.

This slender baluster vase,with a tapered neck and flared body, exemplifies one of themost refined aspects of Sèvres production.

A bramble branch, renderedin polychrome glazes, extends diagonally across the entireheight of the piece, from the foot to the base of the neck. The composition isresolutely asymmetrical. This calculated imbalance, a precursor to theArt Nouveau style, lends the motif its movement and elegance.

At Milet, gold is not merely adecorative highlight: it becomes a trulythat interacts with the enamels, the flowers, and thesurface effects. Here, the entirely gilded background serves as a backdrop for thefloral motif. Very often, gold leaf is applied to anenameled background before the final firing: the result isdeep, almost vibrant surfaces where the gold seems to float beneath the enamel—an effect particularly noticeable in the upper part of theneck, where the decoration blooms within a gilded reserve outlined inturquoise blue and punctuated with black.

Signature — On the reverse, thebase bears, painted in green, the number 683 as well as thecalligraphic signature “Milet / Sèvres,” accompanied by a broadunderline. This handwritten mark is characteristic of the workshopof Optat Milet, who worked in Sèvres.

Height: 14 cm

Condition: Very good condition