Bouillon cup with lid and saucer; soft-paste porcelain
Louis Antoine Fournier, 1760–1766
Diam saucer: 18.5; H cup: 11 cm
Inventory number KP 15
Made of soft-paste porcelain, the round bouillon cup with lid and saucer is adorned with polychrome decorations in the form of various flowers and fruits such as pears and grapes. The handles and lid knob are modelled as twisted branches. All parts are provided with a basket-weave relief along the edge and painted in purple. Marked ‘F5’ in gold on the bottom, the bouillon cup originates from the Frenchman Louis Antoine Fournier’s porcelain workshop and belongs among the first pieces produces in Denmark.
Fournier (c. 1720–?) came to Denmark in 1759. The king, Frederik V (1723–1766) had sent for him, tasking him with launching a porcelain production in the so-called Blåtårn-fabrik in Copenhagen.1 Fournier, who had previously worked at the porcelain factories in Vincennes and Sèvres in France, produced what was known as pâte tendre – meaning soft-paste porcelain. In contrast to the hard, white porcelain known from China, the cream-colored soft-paste porcelain had a more porous structure because the porcelain clay contained very little or no kaolin. Soft-paste porcelain was fired at a lower temperature than its hard-paste counterpart, making it more porous and less practical in use.2
A typical trait of Fournier’s production of soft-paste porcelain was that it mainly focused on smaller pieces of tableware. The decorations on these objects were done in overglaze colours, and the designs primarily feature flowers and fruit as well as gilding, as is also the case with the museum’s bouillon cup. However, in the mid-eighteenth century, the manufacture of porcelain was an extremely expensive affair. This was probably the reason why Fournier chose to cease operations and leave Denmark in 1766.3
C. L. David acquired Fournier’s bouillon cup with lid and saucer in Paris in 1933. In addition to the bouillon cup, The David Collection also includes a pair of plates from Fournier’s porcelain workshop (KP 14a-b).
Fournier (c. 1720–?) came to Denmark in 1759. The king, Frederik V (1723–1766) had sent for him, tasking him with launching a porcelain production in the so-called Blåtårn-fabrik in Copenhagen.1 Fournier, who had previously worked at the porcelain factories in Vincennes and Sèvres in France, produced what was known as pâte tendre – meaning soft-paste porcelain. In contrast to the hard, white porcelain known from China, the cream-colored soft-paste porcelain had a more porous structure because the porcelain clay contained very little or no kaolin. Soft-paste porcelain was fired at a lower temperature than its hard-paste counterpart, making it more porous and less practical in use.2
A typical trait of Fournier’s production of soft-paste porcelain was that it mainly focused on smaller pieces of tableware. The decorations on these objects were done in overglaze colours, and the designs primarily feature flowers and fruit as well as gilding, as is also the case with the museum’s bouillon cup. However, in the mid-eighteenth century, the manufacture of porcelain was an extremely expensive affair. This was probably the reason why Fournier chose to cease operations and leave Denmark in 1766.3
C. L. David acquired Fournier’s bouillon cup with lid and saucer in Paris in 1933. In addition to the bouillon cup, The David Collection also includes a pair of plates from Fournier’s porcelain workshop (KP 14a-b).
Published in
Published in
Dansk porcelæn 1750-1800: udstilling i Det Danske Kunstindustrimuseum 13. April-7. Maj 1933, København 1933, cat. 14 (here called Terrin);
Dansk Kunsthåndværk gennem 400 Aar. Kunstindustrimuseets Jubilæumsudstilling Maj-Juni 1946, København 1946, cat. 156, p. 56 (here called Terrin);
Bredo L. Grandjean: ”Dansk porcelæn” in C.L. Davids Samling, Anden Del, København 1953, pp. 148, 152-153;
Dansk kunst og kunsthåndværk, Davids Samling, København 1972, p. 13 and planche 8;
Verner Jul Andersen: Dansk kunst og kunsthåndværk, Davids Samling, 2. ed., København 1983, cat. 2, p. 12 and colour ill. IX;
Ole Hæstrup: Europæisk keramik: Håndbog for antikvitetssamlere, København 1981, p. 119;
Dansk Kunsthåndværk gennem 400 Aar. Kunstindustrimuseets Jubilæumsudstilling Maj-Juni 1946, København 1946, cat. 156, p. 56 (here called Terrin);
Bredo L. Grandjean: ”Dansk porcelæn” in C.L. Davids Samling, Anden Del, København 1953, pp. 148, 152-153;
Dansk kunst og kunsthåndværk, Davids Samling, København 1972, p. 13 and planche 8;
Verner Jul Andersen: Dansk kunst og kunsthåndværk, Davids Samling, 2. ed., København 1983, cat. 2, p. 12 and colour ill. IX;
Ole Hæstrup: Europæisk keramik: Håndbog for antikvitetssamlere, København 1981, p. 119;
Footnotes
Footnotes
1.
The point is made by several scholars. The year 1766 also saw the death of Frederik V, who had been Fournier’s patron.
2.
For more information, see Ulla Houkjær’s article ‘Franske forbindelser. Begyndelsen på en porcelænsproduktion i Danmark’ in Claus M. Smidt et al. (eds.): Herregårdshistorie 18, Gammel Estrup, Danmarks Herregårdsmuseum, Auning 2022, pp. 288–301.
3.
The first factory, situated near the old Blaataarn, was founded in 1738 in Copenhagen and initially produced faience pieces. In 1754 the factory was closed, and all moulds, tools and staff were transferred to a factory in Kastrup. Following this, a laboratory was installed in some of the Blaataarn buildings, the objective being to try to produce porcelain. See Mogens Bencard: ‘Det hvide guld. Porcelænets indførelse i Europa’ in Bodil Busk Laursen and Steen Nottelmann (eds.): Dansk Porcelæn 1775-2000, Kunstindustrimuseet, Copenhagen 2000, pp. 34–35.
