Vincent Taillandier (Sceaux, Île-de-France, 1736 - 1790, Sèvres, Île-de-France)
Cup and Saucer (Gobelet Bouret), 1756-1757
Polychrome enamel and gold on soft paste porcelain , 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.)
General admission for children 17 years and under is always free
The circular cup is fitted with an ear-shaped handle; the saucer is in the shape of a shallow bowl. Both are decorated with a turquoise ground applied ina wavelike pattern. Sprays of polychrome flowers extend from each point of the pattern, and bands of gilt foliage follow the outlines of the blue ground.
Little Salon
Commentary
This cup and saucer were made in the year that the porcelain factory at Vincennes, a town southeast of Paris, moved to a new location in Se?vres, which is located on the banks of the Seine to the west of Paris. Founded about 1740, the factory began to produce porcelain on a significant scale in the late 1740s. The history of the factory was profoundly influenced by King Louis XV. He granted Vincennes its first royal privilege in 1745, which provided special status to the factory and gave it a clear advantage over competitors. The king gradually acquired shares of stock in the factory, and became its sole owner in 1759. The porcelain produced in the factory’s new location at Se?vres became the most highly prized in Europe during the second half of the eighteenth century.
The extensive archival documents that survive at Sèvres indicate that a specific title was assigned to each form. "Gobelet Bouret" appears to be the name of this particular model of cup and saucer, one of many different types made at the factory. "Gobelets Bouret" were made in three different sizes and were first produced in 1753. They were often sold in groups of four or six, along with one of several different models of tray.
The extensive archival documents that survive at Sèvres indicate that a specific title was assigned to each form. "Gobelet Bouret" appears to be the name of this particular model of cup and saucer, one of many different types made at the factory. "Gobelets Bouret" were made in three different sizes and were first produced in 1753. They were often sold in groups of four or six, along with one of several different models of tray.