Pair of Old Paris-style vases

Pair of Old Paris-style vases, 19th century
Glazed porcelain.
Measurements: 45 x 21 x 17 cm.

Paris Porcelain, also known as Old Paris, is a term that encompasses the production of a number of small manufacturers established in Paris from the last quarter of the 18th century through the end of the 19th century. The first factories appeared around 1770, following the discovery of a kaolin deposit in Limoges. During the 18th century, “Paris Porcelain” referred to porcelain manufactured and decorated in Paris; however, in the 19th century, the term also came to include pieces manufactured in the provinces and decorated in the capital. Production was consistent across all factories, featuring high-quality kaolin clay and gilded decorations, used with royal permission; however, it was not the fine gold of Sèvres until the French Revolution, when the monarchy fell and with it the royal privileges of the crown’s factories. It was precisely the outbreak of the Revolution that marked the beginning of the expansion of Parisian porcelain; production increased, with pieces following the stylistic and typological models of Sèvres, significant technical improvements were achieved, and a new and burgeoning clientele—the bourgeoisie—was catered to. Following the Sèvres models, colored backgrounds (dark blue, browns, blacks, yellows, oranges…), gilded motifs, and figurative decorations of painterly quality would dominate. Also significant in these factories, well into the 19th century, was the influence of the Louis XIV style, which was evident not only in the decorations but also in the types of pieces produced.