Object Image
This lavish vase derives its name from the large portrait medallion of King Louis XV, prominently placed in the centre and framed by a laurel wreath. Executed in biscuit (unglazed) porcelain, it shows the King as a young man - he was in his late 50’s when the vase was made - and follows a design by sculptor Edme Bouchardon which was first cast in bronze in 1738. The model was introduced in 1767 and is probably the first to include such a portrait of the king who had become Sèvres sole owner in 1759. The cover, surmounted by the emblem of French royalty, fleur de lys, is in the form of a French royal crown and closely resembles the decoration on a Sèvres inkstand also in the Wallace Collection (...
c. 1768
Soft-paste porcelain, enamel and gilt-bronze, gilded
37.5 x 21.7cm
C305
Images and text © Wallace Collection, 2017

Where you'll find this

The Wallace Collection
Permanent collection