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Lot Essay
Louis-Philippe duc d'Orléans (1773-1850) was the son of the beheaded 'Philippe-Egalité' and Louise-Marie de Bourbon-Penthièvre, he married Princess Marie-Amélie of Bourbon-Naples in 1809. In 1830 he became King of the French after the abdication of Charles X, reigning until the Revolution of 1848. He died at Claremont, formerly the home of Princess Charlotte and Prince Leopold.
The present set of plates are from the service ordered by King Louis-Philippe for use at the royal château at Fontainbleau. As this was his hunting seat and incorporated animals in its design, the service is often referred to as the 'Service de Chasse'. In fact, its description as a service 'ordinaire' was an attempt to differentiate it from the service 'riche', also known as the service 'historique', which was painted with historical scenes and used only for display.
The original service of over 2,000 pieces was ordered by the king on 26 June 1835; the decoration based on drawings by Jean-Charles François Leloy. It was one of several services ordered at that time, one for each of his various residences. Two distinctive complimentary patterns were used on the borders, the present crossed branches enclosing birds and the more common rinceau of beasts amongst foliage interspersed with iron-red ground lozenges monogramed 'LP' or with trophies. Some serving pieces, for example the tureens and covers, combine both patterns in one form. Other useful wares such as bowls are gilt only with the cavetto fretwork pattern.
For a discussion of this service, see Gérard Barbe, Le Service du Roi Louis Philippe au Château de Fontainbleau, Paris, 1988, pls. V, X, XIII, XIV, XVI and the drawings by Leloy; also Tamara Préaud, ed., The Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory, Alexandre Brogniart and the Triumph of Art and Industry, 1800-1847, exhibition catalogue, The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, New Haven, 1997, pp. 378-380, no. 154 a-c.
The present set of plates are from the service ordered by King Louis-Philippe for use at the royal château at Fontainbleau. As this was his hunting seat and incorporated animals in its design, the service is often referred to as the 'Service de Chasse'. In fact, its description as a service 'ordinaire' was an attempt to differentiate it from the service 'riche', also known as the service 'historique', which was painted with historical scenes and used only for display.
The original service of over 2,000 pieces was ordered by the king on 26 June 1835; the decoration based on drawings by Jean-Charles François Leloy. It was one of several services ordered at that time, one for each of his various residences. Two distinctive complimentary patterns were used on the borders, the present crossed branches enclosing birds and the more common rinceau of beasts amongst foliage interspersed with iron-red ground lozenges monogramed 'LP' or with trophies. Some serving pieces, for example the tureens and covers, combine both patterns in one form. Other useful wares such as bowls are gilt only with the cavetto fretwork pattern.
For a discussion of this service, see Gérard Barbe, Le Service du Roi Louis Philippe au Château de Fontainbleau, Paris, 1988, pls. V, X, XIII, XIV, XVI and the drawings by Leloy; also Tamara Préaud, ed., The Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory, Alexandre Brogniart and the Triumph of Art and Industry, 1800-1847, exhibition catalogue, The Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, New Haven, 1997, pp. 378-380, no. 154 a-c.