164 - REDISCOVERY OF A SAUCER FROM THE “ART OF PORCELAIN” LUNCH SET PRESENTED BY KING LOUIS XVIII TO THE DUCHESS OF ANGOULÊME

REDISCOVERY OF A SAUCER FROM THE “ART OF PORCELAIN” LUNCH SET PRESENTED BY KING LOUIS XVIII TO THE DUCHESS OF ANGOULÊME Hard-paste porcelain saucer with polychrome and gold decoration, the dish painted with a rectangular cartouche with beveled corners depicting a group of curious visitors in the sculpture workshop of the Sèvres Manufactory, titled at the bottom “LES SCULPTEURS” within a burnished gold decoration of foliage and palmettes, the rim decorated with a scattering of gold fleurs-de-lis, a border featuring a frieze of laurel leaves, stylized florets, and a gold fillet. Good condition. Royal Sèvres Manufactory, 1816. The scene was painted by Jean-Charles Develly (1783–1862). Marked with the cipher of King Louis XVIII centered within a fleur-de-lis and inscribed “Sèvres” in the center with a blue stamp on the reverse. Diameter: 15.8 cm. Provenance One of the two saucers from the “L’art de la porcelaine” dinner service, purchased by King Louis XVIII and given to his niece, Marie-Thérèse de France, Duchess of Angoulême (1778–1851), as part of the 1817 royal New Year’s gifts (Sèvres Archives, Vbb5, 12, described as “Breakfast set consisting of 5 pieces and an oval tray.” On the small pieces, subjects related to the art of porcelain; in the center of the tray, a subject dep(icting) the King’s Visit to the Manuf(actu)re,” at a cost of 4,465 francs). Exhibition The dinner service was featured in the Exhibition of Porcelains from the Royal Manufactory of Sèvres, held at the Louvre Palace, Apollo Gallery, organized for January 1, 1817 (see Sèvres Archives, U.7, L.I, exhibitions). History Until now, the only known piece from this dinner service was the platter, purchased in 2019 by the Manufacture et Musée nationaux de Sèvres from the Camille Leprince gallery (ill. 3). The tray depicted King Louis XVIII’s visit to the Sèvres Manufactory’s showroom on June 25, 1816—the sovereign’s first official visit to the manufactory following the Bourbons’ return to the French throne. The Manufactory’s archives indicate that this prestigious tea or coffee service included two milk pots, a sugar bowl, two “litron” cups with their saucers—including ours—as well as the tray; curiously, however, it did not include a teapot or coffee pot. This “tête-à-tête” of the utmost importance illustrates the alliance between the arts and industry that Alexandre Brongniart sought to establish at the Sèvres Manufactory from the early 19th century onward. The designs were entrusted to Jean-Charles Develly (1783–1862), one of the most important painters at the Sèvres Manufactory, where he worked from 1813 to 1848. He executed this “Luncheon” project in the form of a documentary-style depiction set in locations he knew well. A cartoon has been preserved in which each scene of every course of the luncheon is painted in gouache on paper (ill. 1). He brought a keen eye for detail and movement to the work and, at Brongniart’s request, included visitors in the scenes. He was not an original painter, but a realistic and meticulous artist who sought to capture the precision of movements in a manner akin to that of a photographer. Thanks to the precision of his studies, we can follow every stage of porcelain production, from the extraction of kaolin from the Saint-Yrieix-La-Perche quarry to the display of the finished pieces in the exhibition and sales room. Our saucer depicts the Sculpture Workshop, which was located on the second floor of the factory. Now incorporated into the molding and repair workshop, this craft—dating back to the 18th century—involves retouching the surfaces of sculptures, which are kept moist. On a column, one can see a bust of Monsieur, the King’s brother and future Charles X, while a bust of Louis XVIII is being finished with a chisel (ill. 2). The scenes depicted on the other pieces in the dinner service include: a visit by students from the École des Mines to the mill and a visit by mineralogists to the quarries on the sugar bowl, a view of the large kiln and the muffles on the milk jug, a visit by manufacturers to the potters and by artists to the painters on the two cups, and a visit by onlookers to the painters for the second saucer. Related Works - Jean-Claude Develly, Preparatory Scenes for the “Art of Porcelain” breakfast set—The Sculptors, gouache on paper, 1816, Sèvres - National Manufactory and Museum, inv. MNS Mp §5 1817 no. 1 (ill. 1 and 2). - The “Art of Porcelain” lunch tray, Jean-Charles Develly for the Royal Manufactory of Sèvres, 1816, formerly in the Twinight Collection, then at the Leprince Gallery, acquired by the National Manufactory and Museum of Sèvres in 2019 (inv. 2019.5.1) (ill. 3). - Plate from the “Arts Industriels” service, “Atelier des sculpteurs et garnisseurs de la Manufacture de Sèvres,” decorated by Jean-Charles Develly, 1823, Sèvres, National Manufactory and Museum (inv. MNC2872-1) (ill. 4). Li