IMPORTANT PAIR OF NAPLES PORCELAIN SOUP TUREENS WITH STANDS FROM THE "SERVIZIO DELLA DUCHESSA DI PARMA" 1788-90.Late 18th Century. Circular tureens colorfully painted on the front and reverse with five classical figures at various pursuits in a landscape continuing around the sides beneath the reeded gilt-heightened loop handles, their terminals molded sideways as gilt satyrs' masks, the lower body molded with gilt gadrooning above a foot edged with gilt dots and bands, and the neck molded with four black-edged panels of gilt grapevines interrupted by floral paterae; the circular stands decorated with gilt grapevine swags between black-ground borders reserved with white vines and dots, the whole raised on three black and gilt toupie feet. Together with pair of Italian porcelain replacement covers made by Richard Ginori decorated en suite, but the gadrooning around the gilt-tipped ovoid knop painted not molded, the tureens with incised crowned backwards N marks and numerals 2 or 3, and the stands with impressed crowned N marks and incised numerals I and C or 4, (the foot of one tureen with minor chips, the other bevelled,slight wear to the gilding and minor flaking fo the black enamel). Refer to condition notes below for more information.
The pair of soup tureens and stands is from the service given by the Queen of Naples to her younger sister, the Duchess of Parma in the autumn of 1790.
The service ordered by the Queen's husband, Ferdinand IV from his royal porcelain factory at Naples in 1788; and while it took two years to produce at a cost of just under 5,000 ducati it marked a turning point in the factory's output, initiating the third period of production (1788-1800) under the factory's director Domenico Venuti, with the use of the factory's "new porcelain" - a soft porcelain obtained by mixing Roman and Venetian clays. The service also represents a stylistic development, for although classical figure decoration was taken from the art of Herculaneum and Pompeii in pictures at the Royal Herculaneum Musuem, the figures were for the first time adapted into scenes rather than placed individually with no interrelationship in the open space.
Accompanied by a book written by Domenico Venuti's nephew, Cavalier Francesco Inghirami, and printed by the royal publishing house, explaining the service's decoration.
According to Angela Carola Perotti, La Porcellana della Real Fabbrica Ferdinandea, p. 213, who lists the components of the service, it comprised 106 pieces, including only two soup tureens: the present pair. Very few pieces from this service appear to be published, but Sgra. Perotti et al discuss the service in Le Porcellane dei Borbonne di Napoli, pp. 397-406, and illustrated on pp. 399-403, pls. 328-335, and color pls. LXVI and LXVII, the pair of fruit coolers, four figures from the dessert service, and three Egyptian-style figural candlesticks.
A plate from this service was sold at Christie's in London on October 7, 1996, lot 276 - Tureens: 10 in. diameter each; stands, one 11 in., other 11 3/8 in. Estimate $40,000-60,000
Originally purchased in London.
Slight wear to gilt edges in areas. Natural short firing cracks to center of stands. Slight discoloration to areas of interiors of tureens. Refer to description for other condition notes.
