Stand with jam pots (plateau à deux pots de confiture) (one of a pair) (part of a service)

Art Historical Context

This delicate "Stand with Jam Pots (Plateau à Deux Pots de Confiture)," one of a pair from larger service, exemplifies the pinnacle of 18th-century French porcelain artistry. Produced by the renowned Sèvres Manuf around 1771–72, it measures just 3½ inches high and 9¾ inches long, crafted from softaste porcelain—a prized early European formula that mimicked Chinese hard-paste while allowing vibrant colors and intricate gilding. Sèvres, the official royal porcelain factory under Louis XV, revolutionized decorative arts with its technical mastery and opulent designs. Soft-paste porcelain enabled jewel-like enamels and gold accents, often featuring nature motifs like the birds and trees adorning this piece, evoking the lush gardens of Versailles. These stands graced aristocratic tabletops, holding confiture pots amid lavish banquets, symbolizing wealth and refinement during France's Ancien Régime. A gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman in 1976, this stand captures Sèvres' cultural prestige, blending utility with exquisite beauty for the elite. Visitors, picture it sparkling under candlelight, a testament to porcelain's rise as high art.

About the Artist

Sèvres Manufactory · 1740–present

The Sèvres Manufactory, one of Europe's premier porcelain producers, was established in 1740 as the Manufacture de Vincennes under the patronage of Queen Marie Leszczyńska, who sought to rival Meissen and Chantilly porcelains with French soft-paste innovations. Initially a private venture, it relocated to Sèvres in 1756 in a purpose-built facility designed by architect Laurent Lindet near Madame d...