Cup from a tea service for twelve 1807 - 1808
christopheferdinandcaron
minneapolisinstituteofart
ceramic
3d sculpting
egg art
3d printed part
ceramic
sculptural image
culinary art
stoneware
framed image
france
ceramic
food art
watercolour illustration
This cup, created by Christophe-Ferdinand Caron in 1807-1808, is part of a twelve-piece tea service and features a whimsical depiction of a monkey riding a dolphin amidst a seascape. The intricate hand-painted details and gold accents showcase the artistry of the era, reflecting a playful and elegant aesthetic. This cup, now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, is a testament to the artistry of early 19th-century porcelain production and the enduring appeal of whimsical imagery in decorative arts.
Comments
Napoleon commissioned this service in 1807 and presented it to Prince William of Prussia in September of 1808. Each piece in the set is decorated with at least one scene derived from Jean de La Fontaine's fables. Stories illustrated on the cups include the tortoise and the hare and the fox and the stork. The high quality of all the painted scenes makes this service one of Christophe-Ferdinand Caron's greatest achievements while working as an animal painter at Sevres between 1792 and 1815. Caron studied plants at the botanical gardens in Paris as well as books on various animals and birds to create detailed scenes of the fables. The forms of the objects demonstrate the taste for antique Grecian designs which had begun before the French Revolution and continued under Napolean's reign. The cups imitate an ancient Greek kyatos, distinguished by their elevated and elongated handles.
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