Footed Bowl

This magnificent and monumental porcelain Coupe de Rivoli, one of a pair of centerpiece bowls, was ordered in 1863 by Napoleon III but was not delivered to the Emperor until 1870, indicating the extensive labor invested by a collaboration of painters, designers and gilders. The Sèvres porcelain manufactory of France, primarily known for its exquisite 18th-century porcelains, continued to play a leading role in the ceramic industry in the 19th century. Decorated with four scenes from the ancient Greek pastoral love story of Daphnis, a goatherd, and Chloe, a shepherdess, the coupe embodies mid-19th-century taste in neoclassical style. Rendered in puce-colored enamel, the scenes of the star-crossed lovers contrast with the teal enamel and gilded urns and fronds, creating a dynamic interplay of color.