SÈVRES Exceptional night light or incense burner... Lot 122

SÈVRES Exceptional night light or incense burner in three parts in soft porcelain, consisting of a baluster-shaped pedestal with a square section pierced by an opening in the upper part; on this base rests the middle part, of octagonal section, hollow and equipped with four pilasters in relief and an openwork cover surmounted by a statuette of a hen brooding her young. The gilded silver mounting is composed of a cylinder resting on a pierced plate, inserted in the middle part, and probably supporting an egg. The base and the median part are decorated in polychromy of a scene with Téniers representing a couple attablé and of country landscapes represented in cartridges being detached on a green bottom heightened of foliage volutes blue lapis decorated with combed gold. The outlines of the cartridges and the edges are decorated with broad bands with a lapis blue pebbled background and gold nets. There are two forms of night lights in Sevres porcelain and several names have been made. The name of night light appears in the archives in 1758, a name that probably refers to the type of night light of truncated cone shape, different from the present model. From 1759 on, we find the mention of pot-pourri à l'esprit de vin, which could correspond to the square pedestal model, such as the one presented here, even if the few known models cannot be formally identified in the sales records. The function of the object has not been clearly identified. However, several hypotheses have been made about the use of this type of object, such as that of a perfume burner. But it could also have been used to cook food, and in particular an egg, as the decoration suggests, or to heat broths, drinks or liquids. These objects were probably intended for sick people, like the marquise of POMPADOUR, whose health was declining at the end of the 1750s. Mark on the reverse side of the interlaced LL and letter-date G for the year 1760, mark of the painter Jean-Louis MORIN (active 1754-1787). 18th century, circa 1760. (Very small chips) Total height : 23,5 cm Pedestal height : 10,5 cm - Pedestal width : 11 x 11 cm Slight crack on one side of the pedestal. The lid replaced in hard paste later. Other known examples include : A model preserved in the Wallace Collection, London, inv. C466. Another model, painted by Charles-Nicolas DODIN, mentioned by R. SAVILL, was in the collections of General Edward P. LYGON at Dalmeny in Scotland when it was sold in 1864. A last example is preserved in Waddesdon Manor, without the hen statuette on the lid. Bibliography : R. SAVILL, The Wallace Collection, catalog of Sèvres porcelain, vol. II, 1988, p. 729.