Manufacture nationale de Sèvres
| Company type | Public institution (since 2010) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Porcelain manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Manufacture de Vincennes |
| Founded | 1740 |
| Fate | Became part of Sèvres – Cité de la céramique in 2010 |
| Successor | Sèvres – Cité de la céramique |
| Headquarters | Sèvres , France |
Area served | Europe, international exhibitions worldwide |
Key people | Jean-Claude Chambellan Duplessis (artistic director 1748–1774), Alexandre Brongniart (director 1800–1847), Henri Victor Regnault (director 1854–) |
| Products | Porcelain tableware, decorative objects, figurines |
| Owner | French state |
Number of employees | Approximately 200 (circa 1756; current number not specified) |
| Parent | Sèvres – Cité de la céramique (since 2010) |
| Website | www |
The Manufacture nationale de Sèvres () stands as a prominent European porcelain producer located in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, France. Originating from the Vincennes porcelain workshop established in 1740, it shifted operations to Sèvres in 1756 and has been under state ownership since 1759.
Currently, the manufactory specializes in modern porcelain creation and has been part of the Sèvres – Cité de la céramique since 2010, alongside the Musée national de céramique, and since 2012 with the Musée national Adrien Dubouché situated in Limoges.
Origins
The enterprise began in 1740 as the Manufacture de Vincennes, gaining support from Queen Marie Leszczyńska, who encouraged porcelain production to compete with German manufacturers such as Chantilly porcelain and Meissen porcelain. In 1751, Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV's mistress, became a significant patron, enabling the factory’s relocation to Sèvres in 1756 near her Château de Bellevue.
Constructed between 1753 and 1756 by architect Laurent Lindet on the "de la Guyarde" farm grounds, the new premises consisted of a 130-meter-long, four-level building housing specialized workshops: raw materials and clay storage on the ground floor; moulders, plasterers, sculptors, engravers, and kilns on the first floor; sculptors, turners, repairers, and packers on the second; and painters, gilders, and figure artisans in the attic. The building was crowned by a central pavilion with a clock and flanked by wings ending in corner pavilions. The front courtyard served as a venue for bi-monthly exhibitions showcasing manufactory creations.
From 1748 until his death in 1774, Jean-Claude Chambellan Duplessis led artistic production. Acquired by the King in 1759 but effectively managed by Madame de Pompadour, this period represented a zenith in craftsmanship and design that cemented Sèvres' lasting prestige. The Rococo style was enhanced by prioritizing painted embellishments over form.
Development of hard-paste porcelain
Initially producing soft-paste porcelain, the manufactory transitioned after 1768 following chemist Vilaris and Jean-Baptiste Darnet’s discovery of France’s first kaolin deposit near Limoges at Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche. On 13 February 1771, the Comte de Thy de Milly presented findings on hard-paste porcelain to the Royal Academy of Sciences; these were published in 1777 within Art de la porcelaine. Before this breakthrough, French factories including Sèvres only manufactured vitreous porcelains lacking genuine qualities.
After 1770, Sèvres began producing hard-paste porcelain but maintained soft-paste production until 1804. Painted plaques initially crafted at Vincennes for furniture decoration became prominent products at Sèvres. Most figurines were unglazed biscuit porcelain, an innovation originating from Vincennes.
Between 1774 and 1800, director Louis-Simon Boizot guided a stylistic evolution from austere Neoclassicism to more elaborate designs favored by the courts of the Ancien Régime. This tendency intensified during Napoleon’s rule despite difficulties faced by French porcelain manufacturers. The Empire style was characterized by rich gilding, vivid colors, and military themes; Napoleon's Egyptian campaign also inspired a wave of "Neo-Egyptian" motifs.
In 1800, Napoleon appointed Alexandre Brongniart as director for a tenure lasting 47 years. Under his guidance, Sèvres concentrated on tableware and large decorative objects, many commissioned by governmental authorities as diplomatic gifts.
Throughout the century, Empire style became increasingly ornate, reflecting French interpretations of Victorian aesthetics. During the Second French Empire (1852–1870), there was a resurgence of Louis XVI style marked by heavier use of painting and gilding based on historic moulds. In 1854, Henri Victor Regnault took over as director.
In 1875, operations moved to newly constructed facilities near Parc de Saint-Cloud, where production continues today within a building classified as a Monument historique.
Following 1870, Sèvres embraced a more subdued form of Japonisme. Artistic director A. Sandier introduced fresh Art Nouveau influences in 1897, followed by early adaptations of Art Deco around 1907.
Significantly, in 1920 the factory was the site where the Treaty of Sèvres was signed, marking post-World War I peace between the Ottoman Empire and Allied powers.
Female workforce at the royal manufactory
In 1748, the Manufacture de Vincennes introduced a group of twenty young women specializing in floral decoration under the leadership of Madame Gravant. However, this unit was dissolved in 1753 when female workers were prohibited from the factory premises. By 1756, the workforce at Sèvres consisted solely of approximately two hundred men.
Despite restrictions, some women continued to contribute by painting and burnishing delicate porcelain items from their homes, accepting the inherent risk of damage to the pieces.
Porcelain production
The manufactory preserves a vast assortment of moulds that combine both traditional and contemporary patterns. The main method employed for crafting hollow porcelain objects such as vases is Slipcasting.
Historically, kaolin was sourced from Saint-Yrieix near Limoges; nowadays, it is obtained from various suppliers. The glaze, which is an enamel coating applied over fired kaolin, primarily contains Marcognac pegmatite, blended with feldspath and quartz.
The characteristic blue hue of Sèvres porcelain results from cobalt oxide added to the glaze mixture.
Kilns of the 19th century
Ambroise Milet, a ceramic expert who served as Director of Paste Kilns until 1883, directed the building of six large Anagama kilns in 1877. These kilns are now recognized as French monuments historiques.
These cylindrical structures feature three tiers: the first laboratoire (2.6 meters in diameter and 3 meters tall), the second laboratoire (2.6 meters diameter by 2 meters height), and a chimney cone standing 2 meters high. The firebox located at the base measures 1 meter high, 0.58 meters wide, and 0.29 meters deep. Channels between levels direct flames and hot gases, while grills separate flames to ensure even heat distribution throughout. Four fireboxes enable precise temperature regulation.
Only birch wood is utilized for firing due to its consistent and intense burn with minimal ash residue, allowing temperatures to reach nearly 1300 °C. Logs measure 73 centimeters in length; firing biscuit porcelain requires 15 to 16 hours, while glazed porcelain takes about 11 to 12 hours, consuming roughly 25 cubic meters of wood over a span of 48 hours. Cooling lasts between 15 and 20 days before unloading up to one hundred pieces per batch.
This firing technique guarantees the renowned enamel finish of Sèvres through steady heat application and slow cooling, permitting the creation of large-scale porcelain items—a distinctive manufacturing expertise.
The final large-scale wood firing took place in October 2006, producing nearly 180 pieces for the l'Epreuve du Feu exhibition held at the Paris gallery; this event was streamed live. Future firings are publicized on the manufactory’s official website.
Modern production predominantly relies on electric kilns except for these special wood-fired sessions.
Current operations at the Manufacture
Up until 2009, the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres functioned as a 'Service à compétence nationale' under the jurisdiction of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication.
Following a decree issued on December 26, 2009, effective January 1, 2010, it became integrated into the public institution Sèvres – Cité de la céramique, alongside the Musée national de la céramique. On May 1, 2012, the Musée national de la porcelaine Adrien-Dubouché merged into this entity, which was then renamed Cité de la céramique – Sèvres et Limoges.
As a public organization, its mandate continues to focus on producing ceramic artworks employing artisanal methods, including faithful reproductions of historic designs as well as innovative contemporary pieces. It caters both to governmental requirements and commercial clientele with an emphasis on luxury handcrafted items rather than mass manufacturing. The manufactory also fosters artistic and technological research within ceramics.
Its creations are displayed across two galleries: one located in Sèvres and another situated in central Paris between the Louvre and the Comédie-Française. Furthermore, it organizes international exhibitions and takes part in contemporary art festivals worldwide.
Musée national de Céramique (National Museum of Ceramics)
Situated next to the manufactory, this museum was established in 1824 and features an extensive array of ceramic works representing various periods and geographic origins.
Prominent artists
The manufactory's reputation has drawn numerous distinguished ceramists, such as:
See also
Bibliography
- Battie, David, editor, Sotheby's Concise Encyclopedia of Porcelain, 1990, Conran Octopus.
- Georges Lechevallier-Chevignard, La Manufacture de porcelaine de Sèvres : histoire, organisation, ateliers, musée céramique, répertoire des marques et monogrammes d'artistes, Paris, le Livre d'histoire, 2013, Available online at [1]
- Tamara Préaud and Guilhem Scherf (eds.), La manufacture des lumières. La sculpture à Sèvres de Louis XV à la Révolution, [Exhibition Catalogue], Éditions Faton, 2015,
- Zarucchi, Jeanne Morgan, "The Shepherdess' Progress: From Favart to Boucher to Sèvres," Konsthistorisk tidskrift (Journal of Art History), Vol. 85, No. 2 (2016), pp. 141–58.