(Origin:
circa. 1769
Comtesse du Barry)
|
History of the fine porcelain now known as "Limoges" begins in 1736 when Aubert de Tourny, general intendant of Limoges grants an exclusive rights to André Massié for the creation and the development of faience. Before the discovery of kaolin, the pure, soft white clay substance for porcelain near Limoges in 1765, most of the European ceramics are imported from China. |
Under the protection of the Count d'Artois, several faience factories began experimenting with porcelain formula and produced the first hard paste porcelain pieces in 1771. The Great Turgot introduced Limoges porcelains to the court of the Bourbon animated by the queen Marie-Antoinette, known for her taste for the splendour and refinement.
In 1784, Louis XVI took over the Limoges
factory and incorporated it into the Royal Manufacturer of Sèvres.
The Royal Manufacturer excelled in the pieces typical of the time,
chocolate, ice buckets, canopies, all precious and expensive accessories
which became a quintessence of the art of living and entertaining.
|
(Origin:
circa.1782
Marie Antoinette)
|
(Origin:
circa.1780
Comte d'Artois)
|
After the French Revolution, the Royal Manufacturer was declared as the French national property and lost its exclusive privilege over porcelain manufacturing. The reputation of the Sevres, however, thrived throughout the successions of French rulers and retained royal preference and influence in an age of ostentatious ornamentation in decorative objects. |
By the 1830s, there were as many as thirty porcelain factories operating in the Limoges region.Limoges porcelain has gone through seamless transition from the 18th century into art nouveau period in the 1920s and to this day by innovating new design, shape and utility in response to popular demand of modern society.
Today, it continues to produce the highest quality porcelain at international acclaim. One of its most popular products includes hand-painted collectibles offering a great variety of themes and shapes such as miniatures, egg-shaped jewel boxes and ornamented hinged boxes. |
(Origin:
circa.1751
Le jardin du Roi)
|
|
