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Mme Léjars dans les Dames Colonels

Plate
late 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of a set of plates decorated with equestrian circus subjects made in France in the mid-19th century by the Creil and Montereau pottery, a business which operated until 1895 and was created from the amalgamation of two potteries, one at Creil-sur-Oise, north of Paris, established in 1797, and another at Montereau, south of Paris, established in 1748. Louis Lebeuf and Etienne Thibault operated the business from 1825 to 1833, and the wares were stamped 'Creil and Montereau' and 'Lebeuf Milliet & Cie.' from about 1840 until the death of Lebeuf in 1876.

Earthenware made at the Creil factory was the first French pottery to use transfer printing on earthenware. By reproducing engravings on different topics they created several sets of plates, including 'Le Nouveau Paris', views of the city, and another of views of Switzerland. Equestrian acts were very popular in French circus during the 19th century, at a time when there were several permanent circus buildings in Paris.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMme Léjars dans les Dames Colonels (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Printed and glazed porcelain
Brief description
Plate printed with an image of Mme. Léjars in the equestrian circus act Les Dames Colonels. Transfer-printed porcelain by Lebeuf Milliet & Cie. French, ca.1850. Antony Hippisley Coxe Collection.
Physical description
Glazed earthenware plate featuring a black and white reproduction of an engraving of the French 19th century equestrienne Mme Léjars riding side-saddle, wearing a military-style costume with a tight bodice and a long skirt. She wears a top hat and carries a saddle-bag which is flying out behind her with the movement of the horse, cantering left to right with his head down. The rim of the plate is decorated with motifs of a cantering horse, wreaths, a helmet from a suit of armour and horses' heads. The image is titled 'Mme. Léjars dans Les Dames Colonels in black upper-case lettering.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 21.0cm
  • Height: 2.1cm
Marks and inscriptions
Printed verso with the manufacturer's mark for Lebeuf Milliet & Cie: 'PORCELAIN OPAQUE CREIL ET MONTREAU written around the circumference of a circular mark inside which is writte: MEDAILLE D'OR 1834 ET 1839 LEBEUF MILLIET ET CIE'
Credit line
Antony Hippisley Coxe Collection
Production
The mark verso for Lebeuf Milliet & Co. states their locations as 'Creuil et Montereau' and that they gained a gold medal in 1834 and 1839.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is one of a set of plates decorated with equestrian circus subjects made in France in the mid-19th century by the Creil and Montereau pottery, a business which operated until 1895 and was created from the amalgamation of two potteries, one at Creil-sur-Oise, north of Paris, established in 1797, and another at Montereau, south of Paris, established in 1748. Louis Lebeuf and Etienne Thibault operated the business from 1825 to 1833, and the wares were stamped 'Creil and Montereau' and 'Lebeuf Milliet & Cie.' from about 1840 until the death of Lebeuf in 1876.

Earthenware made at the Creil factory was the first French pottery to use transfer printing on earthenware. By reproducing engravings on different topics they created several sets of plates, including 'Le Nouveau Paris', views of the city, and another of views of Switzerland. Equestrian acts were very popular in French circus during the 19th century, at a time when there were several permanent circus buildings in Paris.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
S.88-2007

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Record createdJune 1, 2007
Record URL
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