MID-18TH CENTURY, THE PORCELAIN FIRST HALF 18TH CENTURY

Embodying the rococo concept of eternal spring, ormolu wall-lights decorated with porcelain flowers were fashionable in the mid-18th Century, and from circa 1740 colourful porcelain flowers were produced at Meissen and soon after at Vincennes for this specific use. The celabrated marchand-mercier Lazare Duvaux (d. 1758) particularly promoted this fashion and he supplied his principal patron, Madame de Pompadour, several wall-lights, such as those she purchased in 1750 for the château de Bellevue (G. de Bellaigue, The James A. de Rothschild Collection, Furniture, Clocks and Gilt-Bronzes, Fribourg, 1974, vol. II, p. 794, no. 218). Several examples of ormolu wall-lights mounted with porcelain flowers are still known to exist. However, de Bellaigue points out that those with a backplate incorporating a porcalain figure or vessel, are extremely rare. A pair of wall-lights, with branches issuing from a Mennecy porcelain parrot, was sold, Sotheby's Monaco, 3 March 1990, lot 224, while a further pair, with branches issuing from a Chinese youth of famille rose Chinese porcelain, was sold, Sotheby's New York, 20 November 1993, lot 100.