A Sèvres large part dinner service, circa 1792-93
Decorated with a gilt radial motif with blue and gilt dots within a gilt-edged blue-ground circular band with gilt foliate scrollwork, the shaped rims with radial blue and gilt dots under a similar blue-ground band, comprising:
118 plates (assiette à osier, 25.7cm diam.);
24 soup plates (24.2cm diam.);
four shaped square dishes (compotier carré, 20.5cm wide);
four shell-shaped dishes (compotier coquille, 22.5cm wide);
four oval dishes (compotier ovale, 27.4cm long);
four circular deep dishes (compotier rond, 20.3cm diam.);
two footed sugar bowls, covers and stands (probably sucrier de 'nouvelle forme');
two oval butter tubs, covers and stands (beurrier ovale [one restored and fixed to the stand]);
one additional oval stand and restored cover;
two lobed large circular dishes (28cm diam.);
two large circular bowls (saladier, 26cm diam.);
one medium circular bowl (22.5cm diam.);
two deep circular bowls (18.6cm diam.);
twelve bouillon cups and covers (pot à jus, [one with broken handle]), together with one Paris porcelain (Boyer) plate, 19th century, interlaced LL monograms enclosing date letters pp and qq, interlaced LL monograms in blue, various painter's marks, incised marks (minor restoration, minor chips and wear) (203)
Footnotes:
Provenance:
By family repute purchased by Hugues-Bernard Maret, 1st Duc de Bassano (1 May 1763 – 13 May 1839);
English Private Collection since the 19th century;
thence by descent
A number of services of this pattern, called 'pois bleu', were purchased from the factory by Madame Lefebvre, a Paris dealer, in 1792 and 1793; see David Peters, Sèvres Plates and Services of the 18th Century (2005, revised edition 2015), IV and V, nos. 92-6, 92-8, 92-16, 93-1 and 93-6.
Hugues-Bernard Maret, Duke of Bassano (Duc de Bassano), was a French statesman, diplomat and journalist. He was a devoted statesman under Napoleon Bonaparte, and became his Secretary, and then Secretary of State shortly after Napoleon's return from Egypt.
In 1804, he became Minister; in 1807, he was created Count; and in 1809, he was granted the title of Duc de Bassano, one of the titles with the status of duché grand-fief in Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy. This was a rare hereditary honour, which gives an insight into how well respected his work was by the Emperor.
The Duc de Bassano remained close to Napoleon, and accompanied the Emperor through most of his campaigns. In the spring of 1811, the Duc de Bassano became Minister of Foreign Affairs. In this capacity he showed his ability and devotion to Napoleon Bonaparte, concluding the treaties between France and Austria and between France and Prussia, which preceded the French invasion of Russia in 1812. He was with Napoleon through the greater part of that campaign, and after the major defeat, helped to prepare the new forces with which Napoleon waged the equally unsuccessful campaign of 1813 against the Sixth Coalition. In November 1813 Napoleon replaced Maret with Armand, Marquis of Caulaincourt, but Maret remained with Napoleon as his private secretary through the campaign of 1814, as well as during that of 1815.
After the restoration of the Bourbons, Maret was exiled. He retired to Graz, where he occupied himself with literary work. In 1820 he was allowed to return to France. After the July Revolution of 1830, King Louis-Philippe elevated him as a Peer of France and in November 1834 Maret even served a short time as Prime Minister of France. He died at Paris in 1839.
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