Kettle 1783 - 1784

This kettle was made by the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, a French porcelain factory with a long history of royal and state patronage. The factory's output was initially intended to surpass the porcelain being produced in Germany, and to cement French dominance in the luxury market. This kettle, with its classical imagery and refined materials, speaks to that ambition. It’s decorated with gilded figures reminiscent of ancient Roman art, suggesting wealth, taste, and a connection to historical power. The imagery is of a procession, perhaps alluding to a wedding, a triumph, or a religious ceremony. The Sèvres factory was directly tied to the French court, even located at Versailles for a time, and its production reflected the values and aspirations of the ruling class. By studying the factory’s records, the correspondence of its directors, and the social history of France, we can better understand the complex relationship between art, power, and society in the 18th and 19th centuries.