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A PAIR OF SEVRES BISCUIT PORCELAIN FIGURES OF CUPID AND PSYCHE ON COLUMNAR BASES: 'L'AMOUR MENACANT' AND 'LA NYMPHE FALCONET'

CUPID INCISED WITH A JB MONOGRAM FOR BACHELIER, THE UNDERSIDE AND THE BASE INCISED X; PSYCHE INCISED F FOR FALCONET, THE UNDERSIDE AND THE BASE INCISED WITH A TRIANGLE, CIRCA 1766

Details

A PAIR OF SEVRES BISCUIT PORCELAIN FIGURES OF CUPID AND PSYCHE ON COLUMNAR BASES: 'L'AMOUR MENACANT' AND 'LA NYMPHE FALCONET'
CUPID INCISED WITH A JB MONOGRAM FOR BACHELIER, THE UNDERSIDE AND THE BASE INCISED X; PSYCHE INCISED F FOR FALCONET, THE UNDERSIDE AND THE BASE INCISED WITH A TRIANGLE, CIRCA 1766
The winged cupid seated on a rock holding his right index finger to his lips, his left hand on the quiver of arrows at his left; Psyche seated demurely on a rock, both hands holding the bow leaning against her left leg on a gilt columnar-from base
13 in. (33 cm.) high (4)

Special notice

Christie's is selling all lots in this sale as agent for an organization which holds a State of New York Exempt Organization certificate. Seller explicitly reserves all trademark and trade name rights and rights of privacy and publicity in the name and image of Doris Duke. No buyer of any property in this sale will acquire any right to use the Doris Duke name or image. Seller further explicitly reserves all copyright rights in designs or other copyrightable works included in the property offered for sale. No buyer of any property in the sale will acquire the rights to reproduce, distribute copies of, or prepare derivative works of such designs or copyrightable works.

Lot Essay

The incised F refers to Etienne-Maurice Falconet in his role as director of the sculpture workshop at Sèvres from 1758-1766; the JB to J-J Bachelier, director from 1776-1773. The present pair can therefore be dated circa 1766, the swing year between these two directors of the sculpture factory.

The bases are contemporary with the figures, their flutes originally decorated in green and later over-gilt. The incised marks found on each figure and its pedestal (X to Cupid and a triangle to Psyche) confirm that each base is original to the corresponding figure. The fact that the bases are identically decorated and the incised marks of the same period confirms that the present lot was originally created as a pair.

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