This service painted by Etienne Charles Le Guay is first mentioned in the factory records as early as 1806 when it was at the decorating stage under the
title of 'service Leguay'. The plates were described as 'Marli beau bleu riche frise d'or figures tirées de Fragonard, Landon, etc en bronze rehaussé en or
fond caillouté (MNS, Archives de Sèvres, Pb 1, Traveau de zème trimestre 1806, no.12). The blue border (marli) was probably applied first, followed by
the 'marbled' ground in the well, which is called 'fond agathe' in the factory records and was the work of the ground layer (metteur en fonds) Legros. Two
layers of colour were necessary, requiring two separate firings (Ibid, Vj 14, f. 44 et seq. [Legros]. The first mention occurs in June/July or early August
1806, Vy 13, f. 121v). The figure painter Le Guay (Pierre-Andre Le Guay [1743-1819], figure painter of the first class, receiving as much as 100 livres a
month from 1786 up to the Revolution; for a biography see Bellaigue, 1986, pp. 58-9. In the Etat Nominatif pour l'an Dix [1801-2] it was noted that Le Guay
figuriste received 125 livres a month, only the head of the workshop of painters and gilders, Asselin, and Dodin receiving more at 167 francs and 145
francs respectively. At this time, Michaud, Parpette, Massy and Bouillat earned the same as Leguay, MNS, Archives de Sèvres, MI, dossier 8 [service de
l'Empereur]) was paid 19 francs 40 centimes for 'figures en brun rehaussés (or 'éclairés') d'or' on six plates from August- September 1896 and work
continued until March1808 (MNS Archives de Sèvres, Vj 13, f. 50v; Vj 15, f. 7 [Le Guay]). The gilder Weydinger and his son both received 12 francs for
each frize d'or from July1806; batches of twelve plates were normally noted in the work register (MNS Archives de Sèvres, Vj 13, f. 112, f. 120
[Weydinger]).
The gilding on the border is referred to in contemporary factory records as dorure gratée because of the incised lines used to render details. More
elaborate versions of the technique, a speciallity of the burnishers, were known as bien gratée or even tres bien gratée.
Although the cost of burnishing and incising the gilding was minimal, the cost of applying the gilding and of the painting of the centre figure subject alone
ammounted to at least 27 francs for each plate, accounting for over half the manufacturing costs.
The identity of the workman using the incised mark Mun or Mon is uncertain, although there were two throwers Monginot (oncle et neveu) c. 1802. the
other incised marks remain unidentified.
On 8 March 1808 the service was received at the factory saleroom and entered in the register as follows:
Service de dessert sur fond beau bleu figures en brun rehaussées en or sur fond caillouté etc (MNS Archives de Sèvres, Vu, 1, f. 50)
entrée vente 78 Assiettes à 51.65/3.978 40/ 3/120
12 Compotiers 34.00/408 40/480
2 Sucriers 92.00/184 100/200
4 Seaux à bouteilles 120,00/480 125/500
2 Verrièrres étrusques 125,00/250 140/280
2 Jattes à pied 82,00/164 100/200
2 Glacières for vase 250,00/500 260/520
2 Corbeilles Coupe 100.00/200 120/240
_______
5,540
The left hand column of figures was the cost price, the right hand column the selling price.
The subjects were taken from engravings in a Receuil de 132 sujets; Composéses et Graveés par Fragonard Fils. The collection, kept at the factory and
inventoried in 1812 (MNS Archives de Sèvres, N 336), is made up of 60 plates of classical subjects sold, according to the title page 'par Cahier de Six
Feuilles Prix 6'. Alexandre-Evariste Fragonard (1780-1850) was the son of Jean-Honoré Fragonard and Marie Ann Gerard, and worked at Sèvres from
1812-35, creating both shapes and decors (see Nordenfalke, Sèvres et les cinq sens, Stockholm, 11984. Part 111, La coupe dite des Sens. There is no
monograph on A-E. Fragonard, a precocious and prolific artist, pupil of David, holder of the Légion d'Honneur from 1815, but some information can be
found in 'Les paintres de la famille de Jean-Honore Fragonard', exh. cat. compiled by G. Vindry, Grasse, Villa-Musé Fragonard, 16 April-15 May 1988)-
No record of the sale of the service nor of its presentation as a gift has yet come to light. The disparity between the sale price of the plates and their
manufacturing cost, as shown in the above extract from the factory records, is untypical of the service as a whole. Indeed, a progress report given at the
beginning of 1808 makes it clear that only second and third-quality plates with blue grounds were used. Although the service was described as having
éclat, the figures 'ayant eté faites par un homme agé et attaché depuis son enfance à la manufacture' were considered to be mediocre.
Despite this dismissive note, the plates are a good example of the taste of the period.
title of 'service Leguay'. The plates were described as 'Marli beau bleu riche frise d'or figures tirées de Fragonard, Landon, etc en bronze rehaussé en or
fond caillouté (MNS, Archives de Sèvres, Pb 1, Traveau de zème trimestre 1806, no.12). The blue border (marli) was probably applied first, followed by
the 'marbled' ground in the well, which is called 'fond agathe' in the factory records and was the work of the ground layer (metteur en fonds) Legros. Two
layers of colour were necessary, requiring two separate firings (Ibid, Vj 14, f. 44 et seq. [Legros]. The first mention occurs in June/July or early August
1806, Vy 13, f. 121v). The figure painter Le Guay (Pierre-Andre Le Guay [1743-1819], figure painter of the first class, receiving as much as 100 livres a
month from 1786 up to the Revolution; for a biography see Bellaigue, 1986, pp. 58-9. In the Etat Nominatif pour l'an Dix [1801-2] it was noted that Le Guay
figuriste received 125 livres a month, only the head of the workshop of painters and gilders, Asselin, and Dodin receiving more at 167 francs and 145
francs respectively. At this time, Michaud, Parpette, Massy and Bouillat earned the same as Leguay, MNS, Archives de Sèvres, MI, dossier 8 [service de
l'Empereur]) was paid 19 francs 40 centimes for 'figures en brun rehaussés (or 'éclairés') d'or' on six plates from August- September 1896 and work
continued until March1808 (MNS Archives de Sèvres, Vj 13, f. 50v; Vj 15, f. 7 [Le Guay]). The gilder Weydinger and his son both received 12 francs for
each frize d'or from July1806; batches of twelve plates were normally noted in the work register (MNS Archives de Sèvres, Vj 13, f. 112, f. 120
[Weydinger]).
The gilding on the border is referred to in contemporary factory records as dorure gratée because of the incised lines used to render details. More
elaborate versions of the technique, a speciallity of the burnishers, were known as bien gratée or even tres bien gratée.
Although the cost of burnishing and incising the gilding was minimal, the cost of applying the gilding and of the painting of the centre figure subject alone
ammounted to at least 27 francs for each plate, accounting for over half the manufacturing costs.
The identity of the workman using the incised mark Mun or Mon is uncertain, although there were two throwers Monginot (oncle et neveu) c. 1802. the
other incised marks remain unidentified.
On 8 March 1808 the service was received at the factory saleroom and entered in the register as follows:
Service de dessert sur fond beau bleu figures en brun rehaussées en or sur fond caillouté etc (MNS Archives de Sèvres, Vu, 1, f. 50)
entrée vente 78 Assiettes à 51.65/3.978 40/ 3/120
12 Compotiers 34.00/408 40/480
2 Sucriers 92.00/184 100/200
4 Seaux à bouteilles 120,00/480 125/500
2 Verrièrres étrusques 125,00/250 140/280
2 Jattes à pied 82,00/164 100/200
2 Glacières for vase 250,00/500 260/520
2 Corbeilles Coupe 100.00/200 120/240
_______
5,540
The left hand column of figures was the cost price, the right hand column the selling price.
The subjects were taken from engravings in a Receuil de 132 sujets; Composéses et Graveés par Fragonard Fils. The collection, kept at the factory and
inventoried in 1812 (MNS Archives de Sèvres, N 336), is made up of 60 plates of classical subjects sold, according to the title page 'par Cahier de Six
Feuilles Prix 6'. Alexandre-Evariste Fragonard (1780-1850) was the son of Jean-Honoré Fragonard and Marie Ann Gerard, and worked at Sèvres from
1812-35, creating both shapes and decors (see Nordenfalke, Sèvres et les cinq sens, Stockholm, 11984. Part 111, La coupe dite des Sens. There is no
monograph on A-E. Fragonard, a precocious and prolific artist, pupil of David, holder of the Légion d'Honneur from 1815, but some information can be
found in 'Les paintres de la famille de Jean-Honore Fragonard', exh. cat. compiled by G. Vindry, Grasse, Villa-Musé Fragonard, 16 April-15 May 1988)-
No record of the sale of the service nor of its presentation as a gift has yet come to light. The disparity between the sale price of the plates and their
manufacturing cost, as shown in the above extract from the factory records, is untypical of the service as a whole. Indeed, a progress report given at the
beginning of 1808 makes it clear that only second and third-quality plates with blue grounds were used. Although the service was described as having
éclat, the figures 'ayant eté faites par un homme agé et attaché depuis son enfance à la manufacture' were considered to be mediocre.
Despite this dismissive note, the plates are a good example of the taste of the period.
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other pieces from services produced during the Empire period. We'll be happy to give you some advise on how to best sell your items and
even find a buyer for you, all free of charge.
Please CONTACT US, and your email or text will be promptly answered within 24 hours!