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Lot Essay
The titles pot-pourri 'feuilles de mirte' and 'à feuillages' are both associated with this shape which was introduced in three sizes in 1761 and is known in three versions. This version with pierced palmettes to the neck is not known before 1762 and does not seem to have been produced after 1768. See Rosalind Savill, The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Sèvres Porcelain, London, 1988, Vol. I, pp. 198-206 for a full discussion of the form, where the author states that 'Duplessis's source was possibly a design by Pierre Germain II published in 1748' and that the vase was based upon his engraving of an ecclesiastical hanging lamp in rococo style, see Rosalind Savill, ibid., London, 1988, p. 200, for the engraving. Examples of pairs in the Sèvres sales records can be identified between 1761 and 1764; a pair of the second size is listed at 360 livres and a green-ground example with marine scenes at 600 livres.
For a rose-ground pair with pastoral scenes after François Boucher and flower bouquets to the reverse, very similar in style to those on the present lot (the pair forming a garniture with a vase 'pot pourri Hébert') see Svend Eriksen, The James A. de Rothschild collection at Waddesdon Manor, Sèvres Porcelain, Fribourg, 1968, pp. 154-160, nos. 55, 56. The flower painting on the reverse of this pair is very similar to that on the present lot.
Another comparable green-ground pot-pourri vase and cover ('pot-pourri 'Hébert') dated 1763 is in the Royal Collection, see Geoffrey de Bellaigue, French Porcelain in the Collection of her Majesty the Queen, London, 2009, Vol. I, pp. 152-156. The figures and very fine flower painting on this vase appear to be by the same hand and it bears the same painter's mark of a dot within a circle as that on the present lot. It came from an auction of the stock of the dealer Philippe-Claude Maëlrondt sold in Paris on 15 November 1824.
A green-ground pair formerly in the collection of Mrs John W. Christner, painted by Morin with scenes after Teniers, was sold at Christie's in New York on 24 October 2012, lot 98.
Pierre-Nicolas Pithou painted figures, and possibly flowers, and was active at Sèvres between 1759 and 1790. The dot within a circle mark is unidentified but appears on pieces painted with figures and landcapes; it may be that of Gabriel Rousseau who was active at the manufactory between 1761 and 1766.
For a rose-ground pair with pastoral scenes after François Boucher and flower bouquets to the reverse, very similar in style to those on the present lot (the pair forming a garniture with a vase 'pot pourri Hébert') see Svend Eriksen, The James A. de Rothschild collection at Waddesdon Manor, Sèvres Porcelain, Fribourg, 1968, pp. 154-160, nos. 55, 56. The flower painting on the reverse of this pair is very similar to that on the present lot.
Another comparable green-ground pot-pourri vase and cover ('pot-pourri 'Hébert') dated 1763 is in the Royal Collection, see Geoffrey de Bellaigue, French Porcelain in the Collection of her Majesty the Queen, London, 2009, Vol. I, pp. 152-156. The figures and very fine flower painting on this vase appear to be by the same hand and it bears the same painter's mark of a dot within a circle as that on the present lot. It came from an auction of the stock of the dealer Philippe-Claude Maëlrondt sold in Paris on 15 November 1824.
A green-ground pair formerly in the collection of Mrs John W. Christner, painted by Morin with scenes after Teniers, was sold at Christie's in New York on 24 October 2012, lot 98.
Pierre-Nicolas Pithou painted figures, and possibly flowers, and was active at Sèvres between 1759 and 1790. The dot within a circle mark is unidentified but appears on pieces painted with figures and landcapes; it may be that of Gabriel Rousseau who was active at the manufactory between 1761 and 1766.