227 - Potpourri

Potpourri vase in floral celadon porcelain. It is adorned with a rich chiseled and gilded bronze mount, decorated with flowers and gadroons. The base is openwork with acanthus leaves and volutes. It is marked with a crowned “C.” Louis XV period. The crowned “C” was used from March 1745 to February 1749. Height: 19, Width: 14 cm Celadon is a type of ceramic unique to China, known before the Christian era as quingci. Chinese potters perfected its production during the Song Dynasty, followed by the Yuan Dynasty. In Europe, and particularly in France, this term did not appear until the 17th century(1). Its etymology derives from the name of a character in the novel *L’Astrée*(2), “enamored of a bland sweetness.” Among the many types of Oriental porcelain imported into France in the 18th century, celadon was the most sought-after, particularly pieces adorned with scrollwork and flowers, as opposed to those with a crackled finish. It was the “Marchand-merciers” who were responsible for the development of gilded bronze mountings, for which Paris became the undisputed capital throughout the 18th century. The prominent merchant Lazare-Duvaux attests in his journal(3) to the great popularity of this type of object and the prominence of his clientele, which included members of the aristocracy, princes of the blood, financiers, and even the Marquise de Pompadour. (1) *Dictionnaire de l’Ameublement et de la Décoration* by Henry Havard, Paris, n.d. (2) *L’Astrée* by Honoré d’Urfé, published beginning in 1610. (3) *Lazare D’uvaux’s Journal*, Paris: Société du Bibliophile Français, 1873.