19th Century, Sevres Cobalt Porcelain & Hand Painted Jardiniere or Cache Pot

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Description

A fine and richly decorated French porcelain jardinière by the Sèvres manufactory, dating to the late 19th or early 20th … Read more A fine and richly decorated French porcelain jardinière by the Sèvres manufactory, dating to the late 19th or early 20th century, distinguished by its opulent cobalt blue ground and hand-painted reserves in the 18th-century taste. The principal cartouche depicts a romantic pastoral scene after the manner of Watteau or Boucher, featuring a gallant gentleman presenting a rose to a flower vendor while a companion fills a basket with freshly gathered blooms—an idealized evocation of courtship and rustic leisure. The reverse is adorned with a profuse bouquet of summer flowers in naturalistic polychrome, rendered in brilliant detail. These figural and floral reserves are framed by lavish raised gilt foliate scrollwork with jeweled accents, characteristic of high-quality Sèvres pieces from this period.

The jardinière retains its elaborate ormolu handles with acanthus leaf mounts, and the interior is glazed, suggesting its function as a centerpiece vessel for cut flowers or small potted arrangements in a formal salon. The underside bears the interlaced L’s mark of Sèvres enclosing the letters D, a decorator’s mark used during the Third Republic revival period, indicating both continuity with the manufactory’s 18th-century traditions and the exceptional craftsmanship preserved into the Belle Époque.

The Sèvres porcelain manufactory, originally established in Vincennes and relocated to Sèvres in 1756 under royal patronage, was synonymous with technical innovation and artistic refinement, producing wares for French royalty and foreign courts alike. By the time this jardinière was produced, the factory was under the administration of the French state, and it continued to employ some of the most talented ceramic artists of the day, preserving the grandeur and style of ancien régime porcelain while embracing the aesthetic sensibilities of the 19th century. This example, with its finely painted scenes, vibrant palette, and gilded ornament, embodies the enduring prestige of Sèvres porcelain and its lasting appeal among collectors of both 18th-century and later decorative arts.

Measures:
8" h x 10.25" w (Handles) x 8.125" d. See less