Saucer (trembleuse) 1730 - 1755

This porcelain trembleuse saucer was made at the Saint-Cloud factory in France, sometime in the first half of the 18th century. The term "trembleuse" refers to a cup with a special gallery to receive it, which was designed to prevent spills - a welcome feature for anyone with shaky hands! The porcelain itself is of interest, since Saint-Cloud was among the first European factories to master its production. They kept their methods closely guarded, and in fact, this piece is made of a soft-paste porcelain, which is distinct from the more demanding hard-paste formula achieved later in Germany. The decoration is also notable. These pastoral scenes are directly painted, rather than printed. The scenes of leisure are very much in keeping with the aristocratic culture that consumed these objects. The amount of skill and hand labor involved in creating this unique kind of object speaks to the ambition of the factory to reach a luxury market. It is a testament to a moment when craft and design were intertwined.