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Vase and Cover

Sèvres Factory, 1781

This vase is part of a set (a garniture) of three. It is decorated with a blue colour (beau bleu) and features delicate paintings on either side as well as jewelled enamel decoration in the shape of strawberry leaves and swirls of gold.

On one side you can see Pygmalion and Galatea and, on the other, a view of a garden. Near the centre is a fountain with two figures holding urns from which water flows. The water feeds the canal which is lined with trees, urns and plants, while a chateau (castle/palace) appears in the distance.

It is possible that the building is supposed to represent the Chateau de Versailles, the residence of the Kings of France at the time this vase was created. The vases may have been bought by Queen Marie-Antoinette herself.

Sèvres Porcelain

Sèvres was a very sought-after type of porcelain involving a highly-skilled production technique. To decorate it, a ground colour was added (in this case blue), followed by the figure painting and then the gilding (gold decoration). After each application of colour the vase would have to be re-fired - a risky and very expensive process which led to many items being damaged in the kiln.

The Sèvres factory is based near the River Seine, between Paris and the Palace of Versailles, where the French king resided. This was no coincidence, as its productions were primarily purchased by the French royal court, ambassadors and dealers.