Faïenceries de Creil et Montereau (French, 1840-1895)
Hautin Boulenger & Cie (French, 1878-1934)
Charger, 1878-1895
gilt, hand-painted, earthenware
8 ¼” high x 4” diameter
Description: A French Aesthetic Creil et Montereau decorative charger of porcelain featuring South American flora and fauna, c. 1878-1895. The exceptional Japonisme hand-painted décor incorporates three blue-and-yellow tanagers fascinated by three butterflies of the family Pieridae, the birds are perched on pink lilies and presented on a shimmering gilt ground.
The scene is aesthetically pleasing and while it stands on its own as a work of decorative art it is not an example of art for art’s sake. These chargers often incorporated earlier botanic studies focusing on the natural, philosophical and scientific aspects of the flora, fauna and their arrangement, as is the case here.
Marks: Impressed ‘Montereau’ over ‘B & Cie’ over ‘42’
Condition: Antique, Very Good
For Accuracy: some light wear as expected on any vintage charger. There is a some old roughness to the collar foot else some blemishes, on the reverse only, from manufacturer as is common with this faience See photographs.
Literature:
Creil-Montereau faience. Wikipedia.
Met Museum. 1998.395a, b
