ANTIQUE FRENCH ANTIQUE FRENCH PORCELAIN

ADRIAN SASSOON

London, 2021 A SELECTION OF 18TH CENTURY FRENCH PORCELAIN

Most years in late spring I focus my mind on selecting French art, including the famous record-breaking ‘Sunflowers’ by van 18th century for display at the Masterpiece Fair in Gogh sold by his heirs in 1987. From Chester Beatty’s Sèvres London. I aim to form groups of rare and charming pieces, some collection I also have a vase à médaillon de Mercure of the late of which may never have been seen before by our generation of 1760s. Whilst five other examples of this shape are known, collectors and curators. I also like to present groups of objects including two in the British Royal Collection, this one from that tell stories between one another. This brochure illustrates a Chester Beatty’s collection has the most early Neo-Classical small number of these pieces during this year when art fairs have ornament of them all. not been possible. Amongst the other pieces illustrated are sculptural The cover shows a magical hard-paste Sèvres porcelain tray, representations of Louis XV and Louis XVI, the owners of the published here for the first time. I initially saw it in the hallway of Vincennes-Sèvres manufactory. There is a piece used by an English castle about twenty-five years ago and because of its Louis XV at Versailles and pieces from services given by him to unforgettable, rare and whimsical decoration of a music-making other monarchs of Europe. The rare ice cup delivered to band of exotic monkeys it has been on my mind ever since. This Catherine the Great of Russia in 1779 is from her specially tray was given to the late owners as a wedding present in 1947 designed dinner service with cameo decoration, which is of great by the great collector Hannah Gubbay, much of whose porcelain fame in this field. collection was lost in the tragic fire at Clandon Park in2015 . You will find several pieces from the collection of the late Several pieces included here have come from an 18th century Johannes Lafrenz from Munich, a stalwart member of stately home in another part of England, collected in the 1950s. The French Porcelain Society. More pieces from his collection of Most of the truly-rare group of soft-paste ‘jewelled’ Sèvres ground colour Sèvres porcelains, and others with classic porcelain is from this particular collection. I was lucky to have decoration, can be found in this brochure as well as on my helped purchase and document the outstanding ‘jewelled’ website, alongside recent acquisitions from many other sources Sèvres porcelain in the J. Paul Getty Museum as an Assistant in USA and Europe. Curator there in the early 1980s, and these pieces are certainly of the same quality. One of this group came from the remarkable collection of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, perhaps most famous for Adrian Sassoon his library in Dublin. He owned many other exceptional works of June 2021 SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE VINCENNES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A BUST OF KING LOUIS XV AFTER A STAND FROM THE LOUIS XV SERVICE, 1755 JEAN-BAPTISTE LEMOYNE, 1760–61 Soucoupe à pied, or assiette à confitures Height 36cm Diameter 22.8cm

The largest, finest and rarest bust This is from the first great Vincennes porcelain of Louis XV produced at Sèvres. dinner and dessert service with a ground colour The first two examples were given delivered to Louis XV at Versailles in 1753, 1754 by the manufactory to Louis XV and & 1755. Twenty-one of this shape were delivered . in 1755 described as jam plates; eight are in the collection of the Duke of Buccleuch, Boughton House.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH

SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A PAIR OF WINE-BOTTLE COOLERS FROM THE SERVICE GIVEN BY LOUIS XV TO KING FREDERIK V OF DENMARK IN 1757 Seaux à bouteilles Height 18.8cm

These are large examples from the first green-ground Sèvres dinner service; a lavish royal gift. Much of it was bought in 1772 by Catherine the Great’s lover, Count Grigory Orlov, and is now in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg.

SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A PAIR OF STANDS FROM THE SERVICE GIVEN BY LOUIS XV TO EMPRESS MARIA THERESA OF AUSTRIA, 1758 Soucoupes à pied Diameter 22.8cm From a huge Sèvres dinner service given to the Empress to celebrate the Diplomatic Revolution of 1756 and in anticipation of the wedding of the future Emperor Joseph II to Louis XV’s grand-daughter, Marie-Louise of Parma in 1760. The service can be seen in use at the banquet for this wedding in a monumental painting by Martin van Mytens, still today at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH

SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A PIERCED BOWL, COVER AND FIXED STAND FOR CHESTNUTS, 1759 Marronnière ovale tenant au plateau Width of stand 25.5cm

Chestnut bowls have pierced bodies and covers to allow fresh air to circulate around the sugared fruit. Three of this model were sold in 1759, of which one was purchased by Louis XV.

SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A MILK JUG, circa 1765 Pot à lait à trois pieds, second size Height 9.8cm

This striking pattern of turquoise-blue scallop design was used on a tea service bought by Louis XV in about 1765, of which a cup and saucer is in the Wallace Collection, London.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH

SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A VERY RARE GOUT GREC VASE AND COVER, circa 1765–70 Vase à médaillon de Mercure Height 33.5cm

Five other examples of this shape are known, two in the British Royal Collection, but this has the most elaborate sculptural embellishments.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF SIR ALFRED CHESTER BEATTY

SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

FOURTEEN PLATES FROM THE MARQUIS DE DURFORT SERVICE, 1766 Assiettes unies Diameter 25cm The Marquis de Durfort-Civrac bought this service in 1766 when he left for Vienna as French ambassador. He negotiated the marriage of the Archduchess Marie- Antoinette to the future Louis XVI whom, upon his accession, made him a duke in gratitude.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH

SÈVRES HARD-PASTE PORCELAIN

A BROTH BOWL, COVER AND STAND, 1773 Écuelle nouvelle forme et plateau rond Width of stand 25.5cm

Decorated by Fallot, who in 1773 started to work on gilding as well as painted decoration.

FROM A FRENCH NOBLE COLLECTION, PROBABLY SINCE THE MIDDLE OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

SÈVRES HARD-PASTE PORCELAIN

A TRAY FOR A TEA SERVICE, 1776 Plateau fil et rubanor plateau à baguettes Width 40.2cm With outstanding chinoiserie and singerie decoration by Asselin and Prévost.

GIVEN BY THE COLLECTOR HANNAH GUBBAY TO A NOBLE COUPLE ON THEIR WEDDING IN 1947

SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

AN ICE CUP FROM CATHERINE THE GREAT’S CAMEO SERVICE, 1778 Tasse à glace Height 8.8cm

Taking inspiration from classical antiquities, the Sèvres manufactory designed this new shape for the Empress of Russia’s Cameo Service. Very few pieces of this most lavish of royal services will ever be available on the market again.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH

SÈVRES HARD-PASTE PORCELAIN

A VASE IMITATING LAPIS LAZULI, 1779 Vase à oreilles, third size Height 19.8cm

Neo-classical decoration on one of the designer Duplessis’ most successful shapes of the 1750s.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH

SÈVRES HARD-PASTE PORCELAIN SÈVRES HARD-PASTE PORCELAIN

A BROTH BOWL AND COVER, 1784 A COVERED SUGAR BOWL, 1780–85 Ecuelle de la toilette Pot à sucre Bouret, second size Width 19.8cm Height 9.4cm

This shape was designed for the dressing The flat-gilded decoration on each of table set given by Louis XVI to Catherine these pieces has dark painted highlights the Great’s daughter-in-law in 1782. to create a three-dimensional effect.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH

SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A CUP AND SAUCER, circa 1780–85 A BROTH BOWL, COVER AND STAND, 1781 Gobelet litron et soucoupe, first size Écuelle ovale et plateau Height of cup 7.6cm Width of stand 22.3cm

Bleu nouveau ground with cameo decoration Bleu nouveau ground with elaborate painted onto red enamel ‘jewels’. ‘jewelling’ attributed to Philippe Parpette.

FROM THE COLLECTION OF FROM THE COLLECTION OF SIR ALFRED CHESTER BEATTY PURCHASED AN ENGLISH NOBLEMAN BY AN ENGLISH NOBLEMAN, 1955 SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A CUP AND SAUCER, 1781 A COVERED SUGAR BOWL, circa 1780–82 A CUP AND SAUCER, circa 1780–85 Gobelet litron et soucoupe, second size Pot à sucre Calabre, first size Gobelet litron et soucoupe, third size Height of cup 6.9cm Height 11.5cm Height of cup 6.1cm

Bleu nouveau ground with ‘jewelling’ Bleu nouveau ground with Bleu nouveau ground with and exceptional painting. ‘jewelled’ borders. ‘jewelled’ borders.

PURCHASED BY AN FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE PURCHASED BY AN ENGLISH NOBLEMAN, 1955 JOHANNES LAFRENZ, MUNICH ENGLISH NOBLEMAN, 1955 DETAIL A BROTH BOWL, COVER AND STAND, 1781

Bleu nouveau ground with elaborate ‘jewelling’ attributed to Philippe Parpette.

DETAIL DETAIL A CUP AND SAUCER, circa 1780–85 A CUP AND SAUCER, 1781

Bleu nouveau ground with cameo Bleu nouveau ground with ‘jewelling’ and decoration painted onto red enamel exceptional painting on the cup of Toilette de Venus ‘jewels’ (left page). after the engraving of a painting by François Lemoyne. A very similar cup and saucer is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. SÈVRES SOFT-PASTE PORCELAIN

A PAIR OF HALF-BOTTLE COOLERS FROM THE COMTESSE D’ARTOIS SERVICE, 1789 Seaux à demi-bouteilles Height 16.8cm

This pattern, called riche en couleurs et riche en or, was personally chosen by Marie- Antoinette in 1784 and two services were produced in that year, for her and for King Gustav III of Sweden. These are from the third service delivered to Versailles in 1789 for the Comtesse d’Artois, wife of Louis XVI’s youngest brother.

SÈVRES HARD-PASTE BISCUIT PORCELAIN

A PAIR OF OVAL MEDALLIONS OF LOUIS XVI AND MARIE-ANTOINETTE, circa 1785 Height 13.8cm

These plaques are the only known examples of this model depicting marble busts of the King and Queen. All these works of art are for sale, subject to prior sale.

Please contact Adrian Sassoon for complete details of the history of any piece and to confirm the dimensions, condition, price and shipping costs.

A short description of each piece may be found on our website www.adriansassoon.com in the relevant Antique Porcelain sections. ADRIAN SASSOON HAS SOLD ANTIQUE PORCELAIN SELECTED PUBLICATIONS ON FRENCH PORCELAIN TO THE FOLLOWING MUSEUMS: BY ADRIAN SASSOON:

FRANCE “Looking at Vincennes and Sèvres Porcelain”, The French Porcelain Society Journal Musée du Château de Versailles volume in honour of Dame Rosalind Savill, London, 2014 Musée National de Céramique, Sèvres

(Cité de la céramique) “Attributions to Dodin of painted scenes on two remarkable

Musée Adrian Dubouché, pieces of Sèvres Porcelain”, The French Porcelain Society Journal volume in honour of Sir Geoffrey de Bellaigue, London, 2007

UK Vincennes and Sèvres Porcelain from a European Private Collector, Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham Exhibition catalogue, London, June 2001

National Museum of Wales, Cardiff “Sèvres Masterpieces”, Antique Dealer and Collector Guide, Royal Collection Trust, London London, June 2001

“A Gout Grec Sèvres Vase in the J. Paul Getty Museum”, USA Mélanges en souvenir d’Elisalex d’Albis, Paris, 1999 J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California Catalogue of Vincennes and Sèvres Porcelain in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, 1991 Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio Decorative Arts, A Handbook Catalogue of the Collections of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco, California J. Paul Getty Museum, with Gillian Wilson, Malibu, 1986 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (since re-published) Frick Collection, New York “Vincennes and Sèvres Porcelain Acquired by The J. Paul Getty Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California Museum in 1984”, The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas Malibu, 1985

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania “Acquisitions Made by the Department of Decorative Arts Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas in 1983” (co-contributor), The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal, Hillwood Estate, Museum and Garden, Washington DC Malibu, 1984

Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania “New research on a Table Stamped by Bernard van Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis, Missouri Risenburgh”, The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal, Malibu, 1981

Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Photography: Sylvain Deleu Design: Joerg Hartmannsgruber, White-Card Design Ltd Printing: Gavin Martin Printers, London Editors: Kathleen Slater and Yao Wang at Adrian Sassoon

ADRIAN SASSOON 14 Rutland Gate, London SW7 1BB By appointment

+44 (0)20 7581 9888 [email protected] www.adriansassoon.com

@adriansassoon @adrian_sassoon_gallery By appointment

14 RUTLAND GATE, LONDON, SW7 1BB Telephone +44 (0)20 7581 9888 [email protected]

WWW.ADRIANSASSOON.COM

18TH CENTURY SÈVRES PORCELAIN