Josephine Tea cup and saucer

Napoleon Bonaparte - Empire

This cup and saucer are designated by a "form name", which is characteristic of Sèvres (elsewhere, the forms are most often given numbers).
Manufactured by Bernardaud.

This cup and saucer, of "chalice" form, surprisingly (though common in Sèvres) combine the severity of politics with the charm of the empress. For the severe elegance, one can see the presence of the green Empire on the face of the cup and the lining of gold. One finds the charm as much in the lightly curved form as in the delicate golden flowers that brighten the green background and in the subtle beauty of the young empress, whose face is enhanced by a superb ruff. This delicate portrait was painted by Madame Jacquotot, one of the greatest painters of the Sèvres Factory to date.
Close