Buste van biscuit, voorstellende Napoleon Bonaparte 1805

This is a bust of Napoleon Bonaparte, made at the Manufacture Impériale de Sèvres from unglazed biscuit porcelain. The material is key here. Biscuit porcelain, fired at high temperatures, results in a matte, chalky surface - ideal for neoclassical sculpture. The factory at Sèvres was known for this technique. The bust would have been made using molds, in series, allowing for relatively quick production and distribution. The crispness of detail in the uniform and epaulettes speaks to the skill involved, particularly the mastery of the material to capture fine details, thus evoking a sense of imperial power. The industrial nature of Sèvres' production is also notable. Although skilled handcraft was obviously essential, this was not simply the work of an individual artist. It was a factory-made object, intended to project an image of Napoleon to a wide audience. So when you look at this bust, think not just of Napoleon, but of the labor, and technology, that went into its making. It is a testament to both artistic skill and industrial efficiency.