- 429
A Paris (Dihl et Guerhard) gold-ground imperial portrait cup and stand, circa 1815
Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 GBP
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Description
- Porcelain
- the cup 11cm., 4 3/8 in. high, the saucer 17cm., 6 5/8 in. diam.
painted with a portrait of the Empress Joséphine, bust-length, turned to her right and looking to her left, wearing a white dress, pearl earrings and necklace and a double tiara, before a crown on a draped plinth and green drapery, within an oval cartouche, above a titled panel, the burnished ground reserved with matt bands of harebells, anthemion, stiff-leaf and arrow ornament, with a part glazed caryatid handle, the saucer with conforming decoration, the cup with Dihl. mark in gilding, the saucer with stencilled M.F de Dihl Guerhard Paris mark in iron-red
Literature
Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian, Inventory, 1901, p.118, Decorative China in Lady Lothian's Room; 'French vase shaped cup, parcel gilt, with medallion of female portrait'
RELATED LITERATURE
The Memoirs of Queen Hortense, Volume 2, Pickle Partners Publishing, 2016, p. 259;
Chiara Parisio, Ferdinando Quaglia, 1780-1853, da Piacenza a Parigi, 2012, p. 27;
Alain Pougetoux, 'Paul-Ferdinand-Louis Quagila, portrait de l’impératrice Joséphine', Société des amis de Malmaison Bulletin, n° 39, 2005, p. 49.
RELATED LITERATURE
The Memoirs of Queen Hortense, Volume 2, Pickle Partners Publishing, 2016, p. 259;
Chiara Parisio, Ferdinando Quaglia, 1780-1853, da Piacenza a Parigi, 2012, p. 27;
Alain Pougetoux, 'Paul-Ferdinand-Louis Quagila, portrait de l’impératrice Joséphine', Société des amis de Malmaison Bulletin, n° 39, 2005, p. 49.
Condition
In overall good condition and appearance.
There are faint typical surface scratches to the top surface of the stand but minor, otherwise no damage noted.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
In a passage of her memoirs Queen Hortense of Holland, daughter of Joséphine and step daughter of Napoleon, speaks of the Emperor and a cup, perhaps of this type '...when he was speaking sympathetically to me about my mother and said: "I have no portrait of Empress Joséphine. I should be pleased if you give me one." I sent him one which Quaglia had painted on a porcelain cup.'
The source for the portrait on the present cup appears to be the miniature on ivory by Ferdinand-Paul-Louis Quaglia (1780-1853), now in Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris. A Dihl porcelain panel with the same portrait of the Empress is in the collection of Château de Malmaison, inv. no. M.M.70.12.1.i Another example of the miniature was sold by Christie's, 27-28th November 2012, lot 329.ii
After studying in Parma and Florence Quaglia came to Paris in 1805. Having obtained the protection of the Empress Joséphine, who attached him to her household, he was presented to Court, where he did the portrait of numerous personalities. He exhibited at the Salon de Paris from 1808 to 1824. Quaglia was one of the greatest miniaturists of his period.
A varying portrait of the Empress in a similar pose but with different dress and jewellery, appears on a Sèvres ormolu-mounted vase 'fuseau’ of 1813 now at the Château de Malmaison. The source for the portrait on the Sèvres vase is possibly a miniature by David Saint, an example of which is in the Wallace Collection, see Graham Reynolds, Wallace Collection Catalogue of Miniatures, London, 1980, p. 247, no. 231. A near identical cup and saucer painted with the same view of the Empress as the present lot was sold at Christie's Paris, 7th-8th July 2011, lot 333; another cup and saucer of the same type painted with a portrait of Madame de Montespan was sold by Christie’s, London, 10 June 2010, lot 193.
[i] See Regine de Plinval de Guillebon, Porcelaine a Paris, sous le Consulat et L'Empire, Paris, 1985, p.48, pl. XL, fig. 60.
[ii] catalogued as perhaps being sold at Sotheby's, London, 30 May 1977, lot 18 (in a different frame), or an identical version.
The source for the portrait on the present cup appears to be the miniature on ivory by Ferdinand-Paul-Louis Quaglia (1780-1853), now in Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris. A Dihl porcelain panel with the same portrait of the Empress is in the collection of Château de Malmaison, inv. no. M.M.70.12.1.i Another example of the miniature was sold by Christie's, 27-28th November 2012, lot 329.ii
After studying in Parma and Florence Quaglia came to Paris in 1805. Having obtained the protection of the Empress Joséphine, who attached him to her household, he was presented to Court, where he did the portrait of numerous personalities. He exhibited at the Salon de Paris from 1808 to 1824. Quaglia was one of the greatest miniaturists of his period.
A varying portrait of the Empress in a similar pose but with different dress and jewellery, appears on a Sèvres ormolu-mounted vase 'fuseau’ of 1813 now at the Château de Malmaison. The source for the portrait on the Sèvres vase is possibly a miniature by David Saint, an example of which is in the Wallace Collection, see Graham Reynolds, Wallace Collection Catalogue of Miniatures, London, 1980, p. 247, no. 231. A near identical cup and saucer painted with the same view of the Empress as the present lot was sold at Christie's Paris, 7th-8th July 2011, lot 333; another cup and saucer of the same type painted with a portrait of Madame de Montespan was sold by Christie’s, London, 10 June 2010, lot 193.
[i] See Regine de Plinval de Guillebon, Porcelaine a Paris, sous le Consulat et L'Empire, Paris, 1985, p.48, pl. XL, fig. 60.
[ii] catalogued as perhaps being sold at Sotheby's, London, 30 May 1977, lot 18 (in a different frame), or an identical version.