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Plate from the dessert service: Service des arts Industriels

Made at: Sèvres Manufactory (France)
Painted by: Jean-Charles Develly (French, 1783–1849)
French
about 1823–28

Medium/Technique Hard-paste porcelain with colored enamel and gilded decoration
Dimensions Overall: 3.2 x 24 cm (1 1/4 x 9 7/16 in.)
Credit Line Bequest of Forsyth Wickes—The Forsyth Wickes Collection
Accession Number65.1908
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope
ClassificationsCeramicsPorcelain
Sèvres created a richly decorated and highly unusual dessert service, entitled Service des arts industriels (Service of Industrial Arts), illustrating various manufacturing techniques and crafts. Develly painted these scenes from his own compositions, rather than following the usual factory practice of using prints as source material. This plate depicts the elegant Parisian shop of Bapst Ménière, jewelers to the crown.

DescriptionPart of set to which 65.1909, 65.1910, and 65.1911 also belong. The form of the plate is circular with a gently sloping rim. Each is painted with the same gilt border decoration of a trellis pattern enclosing quatrefoils within borders of leaf bands and further bands of untooled gilding against a dark blue background.

The central scene in 65.1908 depicts the interiors of a jewelry shop (joailler). A woman in a puce dress is seated at a counter on which pieces of jewelry are displayed. A man in black standing behind her points to a necklace held by a female shop assistant. In the right foreground, one man gestures to another seated at a counter with unmounted gems. Two workers are seen through the doorway on the right.
Signed "C.D. / 1826"
Marks stamped addorsed interlaced Cs enclosing a fleur de lis, Sevres below (partially abraded) in blue enamel: 30 nov. 20 in green enamel; 2 av. D. Y. in gold; incised 20-7, and other mark.
Inscriptions"Joailler/Parures montees"
ProvenanceStoner and Evans, New York (dealers); February 23, 1944, purchased by Forsyth Wickes (b.1876-d.1964), New York and Newport, RI; 1965, bequest of Forsyth Wickes to the MFA. (Accession Date: December 24, 1965)