Teacup, 1842

  • Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory, French, active 1756 - present
  • Pierre Huard, French, active 1811 - 1846/47
  • Hyacinthe Régnier, French, 1803 - 1870

Hard-paste porcelain with polychrome enamel decoration and gilding; copper-alloy and plastic

  • Overall: 1 11/16 × 2 7/8 inches (4.3 × 7.3 cm)

Museum Purchase in memory of Tracey Albainy with a gift from Gordon L. and Linda A. Stewart, and the Joseph M. de Grimme Memorial Fund, Joseph H. Parsons Fund, Ralph H. Booth Bequest Fund, Edgar A. V. Jacobsen Acquisition Fund; gift of K. T. Keller by exchange, and donations from Gilbert B. & Lila Silverman, John Stroh & Vivian Day, Bonnie & Bob Larson, Anthony L. Soave, Peter & Tina Barnet, Dr. & Mrs. Gerhardt A. Hein, Hervé Aaron, Graham W.J. Beal, Maggie Boleyn, Antonia Boström, Dr. Alan P. Darr & Mrs. Mollie Fletcher, Dr. Theodore & Mrs. Diana Golden, Dr.& Mrs. Reginald Harnett, Armin Allen, Henry S. & Charissa B. David, Gina & Herbert Granger, Jennifer Moldwin Gustafson, Barbara Heller, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph L. Hudson, Jr., Mary Hughes, Julian & Ruth Lefkowitz, Iva Lisikewycz, George & Elaine Keyes, Paul F. Palace, Jr. & Pam Watson-Palace, Michele Rambour, Charlotte Robson, Donald Ross, Nancy Sojka, Victor Tahill, Curl Tutag, MaryAnn Wilkinson, Gillian Wilson, Maria Santangelo Brown, Andrew L. Camden & Gayle Shaw Camden, Claudia Crable, Christina & Antoine d'Albis, Aileen Dawson, Dr. Heather Ecker, Jacquelin Eckhous, John & Bonita Fike, Carol Forsythe, Paul Micio, Mary Lee Obryan, Jim & Adrienne Rudolph, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Wasson, Brian Gallagher & Terry Prince, Rose Ann Comstock, Kimberly K. Dziurman, Shirley Mopper, Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Rynski, Michele Ryce-Elliott, Michelle Smith, Irma Stevens, Ms. Audrey Zupmore

2008.15.9

On View

  • Decorative Arts

Department

European Sculpture and Dec Arts

This highly imaginative tea and coffee service reflects the enduring influence of Chinese artistry and technique on European porcelain design. While the bamboo handles and spouts, as well as the dragon and floral imagery, echo Chinese motifs, the service includes such strictly European objects as handled cups, a sugar bowl, a milk pitcher, and a coffee pot. A leader in European ceramic fabrication and design, the Sèvres Manufactory catered to the tastes of royalty and aristocracy, and this set was highly favored by the family of the French King Louis-Philippe (r. 1830–48). Over the course of a decade his wife, Marie-Amélie, purchased seven sets for personal use and gifts. This set— the best of only three known to survive in a complete state—was acquired by their son, Louis, duc de Nemours. From Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts 89 (2015)

The service entered the Sèvres sales room on 3 December 1844, and it was delivered on 14 October 1845 to Louis, Duke of Nemours (25 October 1814 – 26 June 1896

son of King Louis-Philippe) [per Tamara Préaud, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres]

important noble French family

J. Kugel Antiquaires (dealers), Paris (by 1995)

Gordon & Linda Stewart, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI & Augusta, GA (by 1996)

Fine French Furniture, Decorations, Ceramics and Carpets. Sales cat., Sotheby’s, New York, 22 May 1997, listed under lot 40 as a comparative object. Collection Yves Saint Laurent et Pierre Bergé. Sales cat., Christies, Paris, listed under lot 733 as a comparative object (color ill.). Luhrs, K. "Sèvres extraordinaire in Detroit." The Magazine Antiques 175, no. 5 (May 2009): 60. (note: article incorrectly states that "several of the pieces bear his [Huard's] signature") Darr, A. "A French 19th Century Royal Sèvres Déjeuner: A New Acquisition for the Detroit Institute of Arts." Naissance de la Modernité (2009): 69-70. Darr, A. "A 19th Royal Sèvres Déjeuner Chinois Réticulé: An Important New Acquisition at the Detroit Institute of Arts." The French Porcelain Society Journal 4 (2011): 121-160. You, Yao-Fen. “From Novelty to Necessity: The Europeanization of Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate.” In Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate: Consuming the World, ed. Yao-Fen You, Mimi Hellman, and Hope Saska. Exh. cat., Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, 2016, p. 46; 57 (ill.); 133–134, cat. 58. Darr, Alan Phipps, Yao-Fen You, and Megan Reddicks. “Recent Acquisitions (2007–15) of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the Detroit Institute of Arts.” The Burlington Magazine 158 (June 2016): 501–512, p. 507 (ill.). Bulletin of the DIA: Notable Acquisitions, 2000–2015, vol. 89, no. 1/4 (2015), p. 54–55 (ill.).

Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory; Hyacinthe Régnier; Pierre Huard, Teacup, 1842, hard-paste porcelain with polychrome enamel decoration and gilding; copper-alloy and plastic. Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum Purchase in memory of Tracey Albainy with a gift from Gordon L. and Linda A. Stewart, and the Joseph M. de Grimme Memorial Fund, et al., 2008.15.9.