Plate (assiette à palmes) (1 of 102) (part of a service)
possibly 1772
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Diameter: 9 3/4 in. (24.8 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
37.20.109
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant plate, crafted at the renowned Sèvres Manufactory around 1772, exemplifies the refined luxury of French royal porcelain during the reign of Louis XV. Produced under the direction of Jean-Nicolas Le Bel, it forms part of an extensive 102-piece service known as the *assiette à palmes*, distinguished by its graceful palm-leaf borders. Made from soft-paste porcelain—a material prized for its luminous, creamy surface that beautifully captured delicate hand-painted details—the plate reflects the technical mastery of Sèvres artisans who supplied the French court with tableware of excepti...
About the Artist
Sèvres Manufactory|Jean-Nicolas Le Bel · 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...