SAXE, DÉBUT DU XVIIIe SIÈCLE Lot n° 24

POT-POURRI VASE Saxony, Meissen for hard porcelain France, Louis XV period, circa 1745-1749 for the frame in gilt bronze Marked: "C couronné" (1745-1749) H. 17,5 cm, L. 16 cm This potpourri vase is made of white porcelain inspired by the qingbai born during the Southern Song period (1127-1279). The fascination for Chinese porcelain led Europeans to discover its secret at the end of the 16th century. But it was not until 1709 that Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682-1719) discovered a kaolin deposit in Saxony. Augustus II the Strong then entrusted him with the management of the newly founded Meissen factory. The first pieces produced were white, like the piece shown here. The chased and gilded bronze frame is a beautiful work in the rocaille style where curves and counter-curves dominate. The complexity of the ornamentation adds a striking contrast to the simplicity of the white porcelain to the simply stamped decoration. A few polychrome enamelled flowers complete the object, giving it a delicate and feminine touch typical of the reign of Louis XV.