Ewer and Basin
ca. 1781-1793 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The demand for 'antique' style decorative arts such as this ewer and basin, was so great in the late-18th century that, in addition to copying surviving Classical antiquities, manufacturers took designs from prints of the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of these prints were highly fanciful inventions, which were not seriously intended as models for production. The design for the shape of this ewer, the body, handle and spout, is taken from plate 10 of "Livre de Vases", published in 1667 after drawings by the French painter Jacques Stella (1596 - 1657).
The ewer and basin were made in the Duc d'Angoulême's porcelain factory, Paris. In 1781 Christoph Dihl (1752-1830), Antoine Guérhard (d.1793) and his wife Louise-Françoise-Madelaine Croizé (1751-1831) established a factory under the protection of the then only five year old Duc d’Angoulême (1775-1844). This Royal patronage allowed the factory to manufacture coloured and gilt porcelain which had been monopolised by Sèvres since 1766. It operated first at Rue de Bondy, Paris moving in 1789 to rue du Temple. The factory enjoyed success and continued after the Revolution. The factory suffered financial difficulties in the early-19th century eventually leading to closure in 1828.
The ewer and basin were made in the Duc d'Angoulême's porcelain factory, Paris. In 1781 Christoph Dihl (1752-1830), Antoine Guérhard (d.1793) and his wife Louise-Françoise-Madelaine Croizé (1751-1831) established a factory under the protection of the then only five year old Duc d’Angoulême (1775-1844). This Royal patronage allowed the factory to manufacture coloured and gilt porcelain which had been monopolised by Sèvres since 1766. It operated first at Rue de Bondy, Paris moving in 1789 to rue du Temple. The factory enjoyed success and continued after the Revolution. The factory suffered financial difficulties in the early-19th century eventually leading to closure in 1828.
Object details
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Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Hard-paste porcelain, with blue ground painted in gold |
Brief description | Porcelain ewer and basin, gilt decoration on blue and white, by Duc d'Angoulême's porcelain factory, Paris, ca. 1781-1793 |
Physical description | Porcelain ewer and basin decorated across surface with intricate gold decoration on dark blue and white ground; ewer has high loop handle terminating in mask, the basin is straight sided of roughly octagonal form. |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Gallery label |
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Credit line | Given by J. H. Fitzhenry |
Object history | Joseph Henry Fitzhenry loaned and gave many objects to the Victoria and Albert Museum between 1870 and 1913. In 1910, to mark the opening of the new buildings designed by Aston Webb, he presented his collections of French porcelain and Dutch faience. Several other departments were also beneficiaries of his generosity. Born in 1836, Joseph Henry Fitzhenry was a prodigious art collector and dealer. He was a friend of the art collectors Sir Richard Wallace, George Salting and J. Pierpont Morgan, to the latter of whom he provided advice on purchases. According to his obituarist, 'Nothing is certainly known about Mr. Fitzhenry’s origin or early life'. Fitzhenry was a founding member of the V&A’s Advisory Council, attending only one meeting before he died in London on 15 March 1913, aged 77. He was buried in Brompton cemetery. |
Summary | The demand for 'antique' style decorative arts such as this ewer and basin, was so great in the late-18th century that, in addition to copying surviving Classical antiquities, manufacturers took designs from prints of the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of these prints were highly fanciful inventions, which were not seriously intended as models for production. The design for the shape of this ewer, the body, handle and spout, is taken from plate 10 of "Livre de Vases", published in 1667 after drawings by the French painter Jacques Stella (1596 - 1657). The ewer and basin were made in the Duc d'Angoulême's porcelain factory, Paris. In 1781 Christoph Dihl (1752-1830), Antoine Guérhard (d.1793) and his wife Louise-Françoise-Madelaine Croizé (1751-1831) established a factory under the protection of the then only five year old Duc d’Angoulême (1775-1844). This Royal patronage allowed the factory to manufacture coloured and gilt porcelain which had been monopolised by Sèvres since 1766. It operated first at Rue de Bondy, Paris moving in 1789 to rue du Temple. The factory enjoyed success and continued after the Revolution. The factory suffered financial difficulties in the early-19th century eventually leading to closure in 1828. |
Collection | |
Accession number | C.517&A-1909 |
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Record created | June 7, 2004 |
Record URL |
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