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SAUCER FROM THE YELLOW SERVICE WITH BIRDS, ONE OF TWO

Creator(s): Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory (Manufacturer)

On view in: Pavilion Hallway


About this object

"Histoire naturelle des oiseaux" (1770-1786), by the influential French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, is the source for the birds on this and several other Sèvres services. The scientific names of the birds appear on the saucers, revealing the widespread interest in the natural world at the time and efforts to codify it. During the revolutionary years, the factory produced several services decorated with yellow rims and black stylized "Etruscan borders."

There are nine pieces of this service at Hillwood- six plates, one square dish, and two saucers. The rims on all the pieces have the same decoration- delicate, abstract linear motifs in dark brown or black on a yellow ground. The square dish and the six plates are similarly decorated. They all have a large bird in a landscape in the center on a white ground after Buffon's "Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux". The name of the particular birds is inscribed on the back of each plate. The two saucers have each three medallions, each with a bird, and in the center, a round medallion reserved in white.

Object name:
SAUCER FROM THE YELLOW SERVICE WITH BIRDS, ONE OF TWO
Made from:
Soft paste porcelain
Made in:
Sèvres, France
Date made:
1794
Size:
6 15/16 in. (17.6 cm)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
24.130.8
Class:
CERAMICS
Signature marks:
MARK; INSCRIPTION .8 Inscribed at the back of each bird: "le merle a collier"/ "Geay brun du Canada"/ "Lory de la Chine". Marked: Sevres, R.F, and M with a semicircle over -for Massy, (Pierre), painter of flowers and birds, 1779-1803.
Credit line:
Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973