Biscuit de Sèvres 1919 – L’Amour – É.- M. Falconet

Description

Étienne-Maurice Falconet (1716–1791)
"Love threatening with a finger"
Based on the artist's model
Manufacture nationale de Sèvres
Biscuit porcelain
France, 1919
Height: 25 cm
Embossed marks in the dough
Assignment of an auction house (document in possession)

Among the many representations of Love created by 18th-century European art, the composition Love threatening with a finger Étienne-Maurice Falconet's work occupies a special place. This small sculpture, with its great plastic vivacity, has become one of the most recognizable figures of French decorative sculpture.

The young winged god of love is depicted seated on a rock. His head is slightly inclined, and he brings a finger to his lips—a gesture that evokes both the secret of love and its playful power. Cupid's pose conveys an impression of natural movement, as if the figure had paused for a moment in a silent game.

The material — the porcelain biscuit — seems particularly suited to this type of representation. Its matte surface gently reflects the light and highlights the purity of the lines as well as the most subtle nuances of the modeling.

The author and the model

The model belongs to Étienne-Maurice Falconet, one of the greatest French sculptors of the 18th century. His work is not limited to decorative sculpture and also includes important monumental works.

From 1757, Falconet was appointed artistic director of the Royal Sèvres Manufactorywhere he created several sculpted models specifically intended to be reproduced in porcelain. These works played an essential role in the development of porcelain sculpture in Europe.

Falconet is also the author of the famous monument to Peter I in Saint Petersburg, the Bronze Horseman, created at the invitation of Empress Catherine II. Alongside this monumental work, the small porcelain sculptures reveal another aspect of her art — more intimate, delicate and intended for aristocratic interiors.

Production from the Sèvres porcelain factory

The sculpture shown was created at the Sèvres National Porcelain Manufactory in 1919.

At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the factory actively turned to its historical repertoire, reproducing the most famous 18th-century models. Falconet's sculptures occupied a special place in this tradition.

The pieces from this period are distinguished by the precision of the casting, the fineness of the modeling and the velvety surface characteristic of porcelain biscuit.

Porcelain biscuit and the Sèvres tradition

The Sèvres style is defined not only by painted porcelain or the famous blue backgrounds, but also by unglazed biscuitThe absence of glaze allows the sculptural form to be fully appreciated, highlighting the purity of the lines and the expressiveness of the modeling.

In the second half of the 18th century, these sculptures enjoyed great success in European courts. They were placed on fireplaces, consoles or in boudoirs, where they became refined decorative accents and testified to the artistic taste of the owners.

Importance of the model

The sculpture Love threatening with a finger It is among the most famous creations made for the Sèvres factory. From the 18th century onwards, it enjoyed great success and was subsequently reproduced in different sizes and variations.

The union of rocaille plasticity and a delicate allegory of love as a secret makes this composition one of the most characteristic figures in the Sèvres repertoire and one of the emblematic motifs of European porcelain sculpture.

State

Excellent condition.
Preservation in line with a museum standard.

Artistic significance

The porcelain biscuits made according to the models of Étienne-Maurice Falconet They occupy an important place in the history of European decorative arts. They unite the tradition of 18th-century French sculpture with the exceptional craftsmanship of Sèvres porcelain.

This composition clearly demonstrates Falconet's ability to imbue a mythological subject with vivid plastic expression and subtle emotion. Thanks to this, the figure of Cupid remains one of the most emblematic images of the Sèvres porcelain factory's artistic heritage.