Twenty-four Sèvres porcelain fond bleu agate plates from the 'Petites...

each with a circular panel in the centre painted with a scene depicting a different view of France, within a gilt Vitruvian scroll and pearl frame, the bleu agate border embellished with gilt trellis enclosing small rosettes with an anthemion border, gilt rims, each plate bearing a gilt title for the view, as follows:
À ENTRAIGUES (VAUCLUSE); SISTERON (BASSES-ALPES); CHÂTEAU DE COUCY (AISNE); CHÂTEAU DE PIERREFONDS (OISE); MENDE (LOZÈR); RUINES DU PONT DE MAYRES (ARDÊCHE); ORLÉANS (LOIRET); À BEAUMONTEL (EURE); CHÂTEAU D’ARLEMPDE (HTE LOIRE); CHÂTEAU DE BEAUGENCY (LOIRET); VALLÉE DE L’OUCHE, PRÈS DIJON; À L'ILE BARBE, PRÈS DE LYON; LE PONT DE L’ARCHEVÊCHÉ À PARIS; LE CLOS VOUGEOT (CÔTE-D'OR); RUINES DE ST JEAN-DE-LATRAN À PARIS; RESTES DU CHÂTEAU DE LA FERTÉ MILON (AISNE); ALIZAY, ET LA CÔTE DES DEUX AMANTS. (EURE); RESTES DES FORTIFICATIONS DE PÉRIGUEUX; LE GERBIER DE JOUX (ARDÊCHE); FONTAINE DU CHÂTEAU D’ANCY-LE-FRANC (YONNE); TOUR DE L’HORLOGE À DRAGUIGNAN (VAR); CHÂTEAU DE CHAVAGNEUX (AIN.); GOUDET (HAUTE-LOIRE); UNE PARTIE DU PONT DE NEUILLY (SEINE), green printed crowned LP monogram and SV (18)45, (18)46 marks, two, with green lozenge mark (18)55, gilt printed Sèvres, crowned LP monogram 1848 marks, red printed decoré à Sèvres crowned N (18)58 marks, gilder’s mark W, some with incised marks

(24)

Diameter 24.5 cm; 9 ⅝ in.

Catalogue Note:
The first Sèvres bleu agate ground ‘Petites Vues de France’ service was designed in the early 1830s under the direction of Alexandre Brongniart and combined technical virtuosity with political purpose. It celebrated the geography, monuments, and landscapes of the French nation, to present an image of a unified nation and promote French heritage to visiting dignitaries and courtiers. Production began in 1832, and the service was formally commissioned for Louis-Philippe at the Tuileries Palace in 1833, with the first delivery that year, followed by several supplements in subsequent years. It was later used by Napoleon III at the Élysée Palace and, in part, still serves as an occasional ceremonial service for the Presidency of the Republic. The views were to be recognisable, and Brongniart insisted upon topographical accuracy, assembling a large archive of engravings, drawings, watercolours, and publications from which the Sèvres painters worked. Many designs were inspired by Baron Isidore Taylor's influential Voyages pittoresques et romantiques de l'ancienne France. The topographical scenes were executed by some of Sèvres' leading painters, including Langlacé, Le Bel (Lebel), and Develly, working from source images held by the manufactory. Louis-Philippe’s ‘Petites Vues de France’ service is distinguished by a gilt Greek-key border around the central scene. Following its success, several other ‘Petites Vues de France’ services were produced by the manufactory, most intended as diplomatic gifts, with the same bleu agate ground, but distinguished by differing gilt border patterns framing the central scene.

While there appears to be no mention of a gift to Frédéric Le Play (1806-1882) in the Sèvres archives, when the present plates were sold at Ader Tajan in 1972 (part of a larger group of pieces from the service), the catalogue stated that ‘In the will of Doctor Albert Le play, received by Maître Pascault, notary in Paris, one reads “I bequeath…to Mr Pierre Le Play: The Sèvres porcelain dinner service given by Emperor Napoleon III to F. Le Play, in recognition of his services as commissaire général of the London Exhibition in 1862”’. Frédéric Le Play (1806-1882) was a French engineer, sociologist and economist to whom Napoleon III entrusted the organization of the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1855 and 1867. Napoleon III appointed Le Play to the Council of State, senator of the empire and Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur. Albert Le Play (1842–1937) was his son.

Provenance:
By repute, given by Emperor Napoleon III to Frédéric Le Play, in 1858-1859;

Ader Tajan, Palais Galliera, Paris, 9 March 1972, lot 74 (part);

Pescheteau-Badin, Paris, 23 March 2018, lot 226 (part);

Coutau-Bégarie & Associés, Paris, 19 December 2022, lot 143.