Sèvres ewer and basin

Sèvres was arguably the leading manufacturer of porcelain in Europe in the 18th century. Founded at Vincennes in 1740, the factory became royal property in 1752 and moved to Sèvres in 1756 to be closer to Versailles. It was effectively a ‘tool of stateÂ’ designed to show the supremacy of French design and craftsmanship throughout the world, and therefore enjoyed almost unlimited funds via the royal treasury and considerable patronage, allowing it to develop a superb range of shapes, colours and designs, using the finest designers and modellers. This design was produced by Jean-Claude Duplessis, a bronze caster of Italian origin brought to Sèvres as the firm sought to establish its porcelain wares as status symbols to rival the more socially establlished silver.