125 - Pair of bonbonnieres. SÈVRES, France, second half of the nineteenth century.

Pair of bonbonnieres. SÈVRES, France, second half of the nineteenth century. In enameled porcelain. With manufacturing mark on the base. Measurements: 14 x 9 x 9 x 9 cm (each). Elegant pair of lidded jars (originally bonbonnieres) in enameled porcelain belonging to the prestigious manufacture of Sèvres. The pieces have an intense turquoise blue background -characteristic of 19th century French production- decorated with white medallions containing delicate, finely hand-painted, 18th century-inspired gallant and family scenes. Each body is framed with rich gold garlands and scrolls, executed with meticulous gilt work that stands out against the vibrant blue background. The pictorial quality, the smoothness of the enamels and the precision of the gilding reflect the high technical level of the Sèvres manufacture. This type of production, intended for an aristocratic and bourgeois public of refined taste, successfully took up the rococo imagery of the 18th century, adapting it to the historicism of the 19th century. Sèvres was founded in Vincennes in 1740 with the support of Louis XV, and moved to Sèvres in 1756. In the 18th century, it stood out for its colored backgrounds and the exceptional quality of its gilding, an exclusive privilege in France after its appointment as a royal manufactory. After a decline during the Revolution, the factory experienced a major revival under the direction of Alexandre Brongniart, introducing technical innovations in decoration with cartouches on monochrome backgrounds. From the mid-19th century, historicist eclecticism prevailed.