Curriculum Materials: Amazing Animals in
Art
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Image 8 Christophe-Ferdinand Caron Essays: Questions: |
Background
Porcelain is the finest and most highly prized form of ceramic, valued for its hard, white, TRANSLUCENT qualities, its shiny surface, and its mysterious resonance, which causes it to ring when struck. Porcelain had been made in China since the 7th century, and was occasionally imported to the West where it was considered a rarity and luxury. For centuries Europeans sought the formula for making porcelain, but it was not until the early 18th century that the secrets of its production were discovered in Germany.
During the second half of the 18th century, France became the leading porcelain manufacturer in Europe. The center of the French porcelain industry was located at the national porcelain manufactory at Sevres (sev-vr), a suburb of Paris. Setting the fashion in ceramics from around 1760 to 1815, the Sevres factory was recognized for its rich colors, the quality of its individual painters, and the opulence of its GILT decoration.
Though it began in private hands, Sevres soon came under the royal patronage of King Louis XV. It became a government enterprise and is still operating as one today. It was extensively patronized by Napoleon Bonaparte, for whom some very ambitious items were produced. These pieces included enormous vases decorated with allegories of his victories, tables set with painted porcelain plaques, and elaborate dinner and tea services. Contributing to the glory of his reign, these porcelain objects were frequently presented by Napoleon as diplomatic gifts.
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