CIRCA 1816, PRINTED BLUE CROWNED INTERLACED L'S TO TRAY AND FLEUR-DE-LYS ABOVE SEVRES WITHIN INTERLACED L'S TO THE OTHER WARES, VARIOUS INCISED LETTERS AND NUMERALS, INSCRIBED IN BLACK SCRIPT

Details

A SEVRES DEJEUNER
CIRCA 1816, PRINTED BLUE CROWNED INTERLACED L'S TO TRAY AND FLEUR-DE-LYS ABOVE SEVRES WITHIN INTERLACED L'S TO THE OTHER WARES, VARIOUS INCISED LETTERS AND NUMERALS, INSCRIBED IN BLACK SCRIPT
Exquisitely painted by Antoine Béranger to simulate antique cameos from the Bibliotheque du Roi, the tray painted with l'Apothéose d'Auguste from Le Grand Camée de France, the other pieces with bust-length profile classical portraits within ribbon-tied laurel roundels, with simulated malachite grounds and gilt borders with simulated jewels, cameos and gilt scrolling anthemion, the cup interiors, feet and the underside of the tray border with burnished gilding, comprising:

A rectangular tray with rounded corners (minor scratches to gilding on underside of rim)
A teapot and cover (théière Brachard) painted with portraits of Ulysee and Antinoüs (slight chipping to finial and rim of cover, handle broken and re-stuck, areas of restoration to rim and spout)
A sugar-bowl and cover (pot-à-sucre Brachard) with swan neck handles, painted with portraits of Diane and Méduse (finial broken and restuck, two chips to underside of cover, section of rim broken in two parts and restored and a restored rim chip)
A milk-jug (pot-à-lait Brachard) painted with portraits of
Minerve and Auguste (three sections of rim restuck, associated overpainting and minor chipping to upper handle terminal)
Four cups and saucers (tasses A.B. et soucoupes) painted with portraits of Agrippinne (handle broken and restuck with associated overpainting to breaks and to rim, chipping and repair to footrim), Trajan (handle broken and restuck in three places with associated overpainting, restored footrim chip), Faustine (small area of overpainting to interior of handle, minute chip to cup, small chip with associated hole to lower body) and Marc-Aurele (handle cracked through lower terminal and restored and broken from rim and restuck, small triangular section to rim broken and restored)
Four saucers (one cracked across and restored, one with shallow footrim chip)
(some scattered flaking to enamels throughout)
The tray 20½ in. (52.1 cm.) x 17 in. (43.2 cm.)

Provenance

King Louis XVIII of France, a gift to Caroline, duchesse de Berry

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

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Lot Essay

The Sèvres archives records in the Cote du registre d'entrée au magasin (VV1.77V°.24) for 27 December 1816:

1 plateau de déjeuner fond de malachite, camées, la copie exact de camée de la Bibliotheque dits de la Sainte Chappelle représentant l'Apothéose d'Auguste - riche décor en or et pièces brillantes (Dej) 1 pot à lait Brachard 550 (francs) 1 pot à sucre Brachard 550 (francs) 1 theyere Brachard 600 (francs) 4 tasses A.B 450 (francs per piece) 1 plateau rectangulaire 6000 (francs) 1 boîte pour le déjeuner 150 (francs)

The Cote du registre des livraisons (VBB 5, 12) records:

Ci-contre Livrée au Roi à la suite de l'exposition de la fin de l'année 1816 Au Chateau des Tuileries (...) Pour Madame la Duchesse de Berry 1 Déjeuner de 7 pièces avec grand plateau carré, copie dans le plateau du Camée de la Ste Chapelle représentant l'apothéose d'Auguste, riche décoration, en imitation de Malachite avec boîte 9650 francs

The archives also record in the Cote du registre des artistes (VJ' 23. pp. 9, 9V° and 75V°)

Béranger Peintre figuriste

Janvier 1816 1 plateau Rectangulaire, la copie du Grand Camée Sardonie représentant l'apothéose d'Auguste 1er accompte 300 (francs)
Fevrier 2e accompte 250 (francs)
Mars 3e accompte 200 (francs)
Juin 4e accompte portant sur le plateau du déjeuner Camée qui est en retouche 112 (francs)
Juillet 5e accompte 300 (francs)
Aout 6e accompte 300 (francs)
le 17 septembre plateau rectangulaire (de janvier)

The later record is for a single payment to the gilder: Boullemier ainé

1 plateau carré en Malachite et tableau de Béranger apothéose d'Auguste pour les ors relief (d'octobre) 180 (francs)

The scene depicted on the tray, 'The Apotheosis of Augustus', is a direct copy of the Grand Camée de France, the largest surviving cameo from classical antiquity. This cameo dates to circa 23 A.D. and was amongst the treasures of Sainte Chapelle before 1279. It entered the Cabinet des médailles et antiques de la Bibliothèque royale on the order of Louis XVI in 1791. The cameo represents Augustus, god-like, between Drusus Minor and Germanicus flying on Pegasus. Below them sits the Emperor Tiberius with his mother, Livia, Nero Drusus, Drusus III and Caligula. The lowest part of the cameo shows captive barbarians, under the yoke of Roman Imperial power. This work can be interpreted as a statement of legitimacy for the dynastic line form Augustus to Caligula; each Emperor was succeeded not by their direct heir, but by a nephew.

The present déjeuner was a gift from Louis XVIII to his nephew's new wife, Caroline of Naples and Sicily. In light of the Bourbon Restauration in 1814 and the more recent restoration following the Hundred Days, it is tempting to draw parallels between the subject matter and the givers recent past. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that, on the date the archives record this purchase by the King, Charles Ferdinand d'Artois, the duc de Berry and his wife would have been expecting their first child, Princess Louise Elisabeth of France who was born on 13 July 1817, who sadly survived for only a day.

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