Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Diameter: 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
French, Sèvres
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lewis Einstein, 1962
Accession Number
62.165.17
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant plate, produced by the renowned Sèvres Manuf in 1791 and painted by Jean-Baptiste-Étienne-Nas Noualhier, the pinnacle of French hard-paste porcelain craftsmanship. 9½ inches in diameter, it created during a turbulent era—the French Revolution—when the state-supported Sèvres factory, long favored by royalty, adapted to produce luxurious tableware for elite clientele. Hard-paste porcelain a technically demanding medium fired at high temperatures for exceptional durability and translucency, allowed Sèvres to rival Chinese imports while showcasing European innovation. The plate's dec...
About the Artist
Sèvres Manufactory|Jean-Baptiste-Etienne-Nicolas Noualhier · 1740–present
The Sèvres Manufactory, one of Europe's premier porcelain producers, was established in 1740 as the Manufacture de Vincennes under the patronage of Queen Marie Leszczyńska, who sought to rival Meissen and Chantilly porcelains with French soft-paste innovations. Initially a private venture, it relocated to Sèvres in 1756 in a purpose-built facility designed by architect Laurent Lindet near Madame d...