Plate
1810-1812 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This plate is one of 72 that were comissioned with views of Egypt as part of the Sèvres Egyptian Service 1810-12, one of the greatest examples of French porcelain to survive from the Empire period. Comprising of elaborate dinnerwares and architectural centrepieces, the service was commissioned by the Empress Josephine, partly as a divorce present from Napoleon, but rejected as too severe. The service, then valued at 36,300 francs, remained at the factory until 1818 when it was given by Louis XVIII to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) for his assistance in helping to restore the Bourbon monarchy. The remaining service today is displayed at Apsley House, London.
The plates' views are from illustrations by Vivant Denon (1747-1825) for the published description of his journey to Egypt during Bonaparte's 1798 campaign, Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte (1802). Denon was an artist, curator and author who worked in Italy and France and was Napoleon's Minister of Arts and first director of the Musée Napoléon (Louvre) (1802-15). In 1786 Denon had sold a number of classical and Etruscan vases from his private collection to Louis XVI which were added to the Sèvres factory reference collection. These vases and Denon's publication provided the inspiration for two editions of this Sèvres service. The first Egyptian service was given by Napoleon to Alexander I of Russia in 1808 (today housed in the The State Museum of Ceramics, Kuscovo, Russia).
This plate entitled "Statues dites de Memnon" has a central scene of the statue of Amenhotep III at Luxor, taken from Denon's published prints. The scene was painted by J.-F.-J. Swebach Desfontaines (1769-1823) at Sèvres, his signature painted on the lower left of the image. The gilding was by Micaud fils and the borders designed by Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart (1739-1813), architect and father of Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847) Director of the Sèvres factory when the service was produced.
The plates' views are from illustrations by Vivant Denon (1747-1825) for the published description of his journey to Egypt during Bonaparte's 1798 campaign, Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte (1802). Denon was an artist, curator and author who worked in Italy and France and was Napoleon's Minister of Arts and first director of the Musée Napoléon (Louvre) (1802-15). In 1786 Denon had sold a number of classical and Etruscan vases from his private collection to Louis XVI which were added to the Sèvres factory reference collection. These vases and Denon's publication provided the inspiration for two editions of this Sèvres service. The first Egyptian service was given by Napoleon to Alexander I of Russia in 1808 (today housed in the The State Museum of Ceramics, Kuscovo, Russia).
This plate entitled "Statues dites de Memnon" has a central scene of the statue of Amenhotep III at Luxor, taken from Denon's published prints. The scene was painted by J.-F.-J. Swebach Desfontaines (1769-1823) at Sèvres, his signature painted on the lower left of the image. The gilding was by Micaud fils and the borders designed by Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart (1739-1813), architect and father of Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847) Director of the Sèvres factory when the service was produced.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Porcelain, painted and gilt |
| Brief description | Plate from the 'Egyptian Service', hard-paste porcelain, painted in enamels and gilt, showing the statue of Amenhotep III at Luxor, made at the Sèvres porcelain factory, France, 1810-12. Sevres porcelain, Egyptian Service; Statues dites de Memnon |
| Physical description | Plate made from hard-paste porcelain, painted and gilt. The central reserve is painted in emamels with a landscape showing the statue of Amenhotep III at Luxor. The border is painted with a blue ground and gilded design of stylised eagles. Sevres porcelain, Egyptian Service; Statues dites de Memnon |
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| Object history | The service was originally made for Empress Josephine partly as a divorce present from Emperor Napoleon. Josephine was involved with the commission but eventually lost patience with the time taken to produce the set and though delivered to Château Malmaison on 1 April 1812 the service was rejected as the design was considered too severe. On return to the Sèvres factory the service included 72 plates with Egyptian scenes but when the service was given by Louis XVIII to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) in 1818 for his assistance in helping to restore the Bourbon monarchy, only 66 of these plates were accounted for. Ten plates in total (including four extras) had therefore been dispersed or lost (Musée national d Céramique, Sèvres MNC.1800 and 21630 - one of the extra plates, MNC.26308 - one of the missing plates from the service, also BM M&ME 1993,6-10,1 - possibly a trial plate). Until 1979 the surviving service remained with the Dukes of Wellington when it was acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum. Today one plate C.124:34-1979 is displayed at the V&A, the remaining service is on loan to English Heritage and displayed at Apsley House, London. |
| Subjects depicted | |
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| Summary | This plate is one of 72 that were comissioned with views of Egypt as part of the Sèvres Egyptian Service 1810-12, one of the greatest examples of French porcelain to survive from the Empire period. Comprising of elaborate dinnerwares and architectural centrepieces, the service was commissioned by the Empress Josephine, partly as a divorce present from Napoleon, but rejected as too severe. The service, then valued at 36,300 francs, remained at the factory until 1818 when it was given by Louis XVIII to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) for his assistance in helping to restore the Bourbon monarchy. The remaining service today is displayed at Apsley House, London. The plates' views are from illustrations by Vivant Denon (1747-1825) for the published description of his journey to Egypt during Bonaparte's 1798 campaign, Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte (1802). Denon was an artist, curator and author who worked in Italy and France and was Napoleon's Minister of Arts and first director of the Musée Napoléon (Louvre) (1802-15). In 1786 Denon had sold a number of classical and Etruscan vases from his private collection to Louis XVI which were added to the Sèvres factory reference collection. These vases and Denon's publication provided the inspiration for two editions of this Sèvres service. The first Egyptian service was given by Napoleon to Alexander I of Russia in 1808 (today housed in the The State Museum of Ceramics, Kuscovo, Russia). This plate entitled "Statues dites de Memnon" has a central scene of the statue of Amenhotep III at Luxor, taken from Denon's published prints. The scene was painted by J.-F.-J. Swebach Desfontaines (1769-1823) at Sèvres, his signature painted on the lower left of the image. The gilding was by Micaud fils and the borders designed by Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart (1739-1813), architect and father of Alexandre Brongniart (1770-1847) Director of the Sèvres factory when the service was produced. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.124:35-1979 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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