Plate (assiette à palmes) (1 of 102) (part of a service)
Medium
Soft-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
Bequest of Emma T. Gary, 1934
Accession Number
37.20.107
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant plate, titled *Assiette à palmes and one of 102 pieces in a grand service, hails from the renowned Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory in France, crafted in 1780. Attributed to the skilled gilder Antoine-Toussaint Corna, it exemplifies the height of 18th-century luxury ceramics during the late Louis XVI period. Measuring 9½ inches in diameter, its soft-paste porcelain body—fired at lower temperatures for a creamy translucency and fine detail—allowed Sèvres artisans to achieve unparalleled refinement, rivaling Chinese imports that once dominated European courts. Adorned with delicate flo...
About the Artist
Sèvres Manufactory|Antoine-Toussaint Cornailles · 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...