Flagon
ca. 1765
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
3 1/4 × 1 5/8 in. (8.3 × 4.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
British, Chelsea
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
Accession Number
64.101.631a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate flagon, crafted by the renowned Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory around 1765, exemplifies golden age of British porcelain production. Established in 1743 Chelsea was one of England's pioneering factories, specializing in soft-paste porcelain refined, translucent material that mimicked the coveted hard-paste porcelain from China and Saxony's Meissen works. At just 3¼ × 1⅝ inches, this petite vessel was likely designed for personal use, such as holding scents, oils, or small libations, reflecting the opulent tastes of 18th-century aristocracy. Adorned with vibrant motifs of butterfli...
About the Artist
Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory · 1744–1784
**Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory** The Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory, Britain's pioneering porcelain enterprise, was founded around 1743 in Chelsea, London, by two Huguenot silversmiths: Nicholas Sprimont from Liège and Charles Gouyn. Sprimont, trained in Paris as a goldsmith before immigrating to England, brought his expertise in luxury metalwork to the venture, while Gouyn handled early sales th...