Tureen with cover and plateau
ca. 1755–65 (?)
Medium
Faience fine (lead-glazed earthenware)
Dimensions
Overall (a, b): 14 5/8 × 15 7/8 × 12 in. (37.1 × 40.3 × 30.5 cm); Overall (c): 3 3/8 × 9 in. (8.6 × 22.9 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of R. Thornton Wilson, in memory of Florence Ellsworth Wilson, 1950
Accession Number
50.211.86a–c
Art Historical Context
This elegant tureen with cover and plateau produced by the renowned Pont-aux-Chouxactory in Paris around 1755–65, exemplifies the opulence of mid-18th-century Frenchware. Crafted from faience fine—lead-glazed earthenware—this luxurious serving vessel, standing nearly 15 inches tall and wide, was designed for presenting soups or stews at grand dinners. The Pont-aux-Choux, active from the late 17th century, specialized in ceramics, blending functionality with decorative flair in the Rococo style popular among the French elite. Faience fine represented an innovative French response to the era's ...