A Sèvres plate from the 'service Cambacérès' given by Napoleon to Jean-Jacques Régis, prince de Cambacérès, circa 1805-06

Finely painted with a scene from Aesop's fables of 'The Lion and the Gnat', surrounded by a wide gilt band, the burgundy-ground rim decorated with formal gilt borders, titled on the reverse 'n°45 / le Lion et le Moucheron' in purple, 24.2cm diam., 'M.Imp.le/ de Sevres/‡' stencilled in iron-red, incised marks

Provenance:
Purchased on 17 August 1807 and given by Napoleon to Jean-Jacques Régis, Prince de Cambacérès and Archchancellor of the Empire on the occasion of the marriage of Princess Stéphanie de Beauharnais to the Prince of Baden;
Twinight Collection, no. 2096 (label to underside)

In 1805 the Sèvres manufactory started working on a service with views of Italy, but eventually decided to expand it to include views of Royal palaces, such as Fontainebleau and the Tuileries, and scenes from Aesop's Fables, as is the case in the present lot. In 1807 the service was given by Napoleon to his Archchancellor, Jean-Jacques Régis. The gift included not only the service, but also biscuit figures, groups and vases. See Camille Leprince, Napoléon Ier & la Manufacture de Sèvres (2016), no. 102 and p. 95f for a full listing.