THE ORMOLU MOUNTS LATE 18TH CENTURY, THE PORCELAIN EDO PERIOD, 18TH CENTURY

These charming brûle-parfums, with bodies of Japanese Imari porcelain embellished with delicate neoclassical mounts, epitomise the French fascination for Asian works of art. The rarity and considerable cost of Chinese and Japanese porcelain meant that they were almost exclusively set in very precious and exuberant ormolu mounts, often after an innovative design, a pairing entirely masterminded by a marchand-mercier.

While Chinese porcelains were exported to Europe and Britain in larger quantities during this period, Japanese porcelains, such as seen in the present lot, were prized for their boldly patterned and richly coloured decoration. The popularity of works such as these changed European taste for Asian porcelain, with a more vivid palette preferred over the blue and white decoration which once dominated imported porcelains. The intricate decoration to the porcelain bowls seen here relates to two bowls and covers in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc. No. 23.225.134a, b & acc. No. 93.3.179a, b). Both incorporate the same finely detailed pattern of flowerheads set within a geometric ‘lattice’ with figural and floral designs set within cartouches.