Bottle cooler from the Louis XV service (seau à bouteille)
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain decorated in polychrome enamels, gold
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): 7 7/8 × 10 3/8 × 7 13/16 in. (20 × 26.4 × 19.8 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
French, Vincennes
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 1970
Accession Number
1970.230.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite bottle cooler, or *seau à bouteille*, hails from the prestigious Louis XV service crafted by the Vincennes Manactory in 1754, during the opulent reign of King Louis XV. at the royal porcelain factory near Paris, it exemplifies the height of French Rococo luxury, designed to gracefully cradle and chill wine bottles at aristocratic banquets. Jean-Claude Duplessis, master modeler, likely contributed to its sculptural form, blending functionality with lavish ornamentation adorned with vibrant fruits and flowers in the tags. Crafted from soft-paste porcelain—a delicate, translucent ...