Of exceptional artistic virtuosity and historic relevance, this Chineseexport porcelain tureen on stand is representative of a typologyknown as pot à oille. Made ca. 1750, in the reign of Emperor Qianlong,it presents enamelled Famille Rose decoration, and a Portuguesearmorial shield for Cruz Alagoa /Sobral, inscribed with the Latinmotto ‘Nomen honorque meis’ (In my name and on my honour), andsurmounted by a sighthound. This collared dog, holding a key toits mouth, a symbolic allusion to Joaquim Inácio da Cruz Sobralfidelity as Keeper of the Crown Treasure.The configurative genealogy of this tureen seems to originatefrom a model conceived by Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier (1693–95,Turin–1750, Paris), painter, sculptor, architect, ornamentist andgoldsmith of Italian origin working in France, in whose treaty Dixième livre des oeuvres de J.-A. Meissonnier, appears identified asa ‘Surtout de Table’ (plate no. 61)1 . Of exuberant design, itis defined by a stylistic repertoire of foliage motifs, volutes andshells, conspicuous in European baroque and rococo creations in awide variety of fields, from goldsmithing to furniture or ceramics,particularly in France, England, Germany, Austria and Italy, butalso in the Iberian Peninsula.Meissonier would also fulfil commissions for thePortuguese Royal House, motivated by those from the FrenchKing Louis XIV in the context of the Versailles universe formulation,and its subsequent adoption by other European courts in the emergence of Absolutism. From the various commissionsmediated by Ambassador Luís da Cunha (1662–1749), Portugueserepresentative in Paris, stands out a celebrated throne (1727) forKing João V (r. 1706–1750). Comprising of a centre table, a backrestwith canopy and dossal, a dais carpet and a royal armchair,which together composed the ‘Throne’, its decorative compositionincluded important allegorical and symbolic narratives.Additionally, as a close attribution for the influences evidentin this tureen, it is also essential to point out a work by François-Thomas Germain, which has most likely determined the adoptedornamental, botanical and zoological ostentation whose excess ofvegetable elements reinforces a ‘still-life context’—the set referredto as La Machine d’Argent, or the Centrepiece for a Table (surtout de table),2 which should be seen as another archetype, particularlyclear on the cover, from which stands out the sculpturalpurpose verbalised by the object. In identical parallelism, it is alsorelevant to refer another contemporary tureen equally commissionedin Paris by Francisco da Silva Telo e Menezes, 6th Countof Aveiras, later 1st Marquess of Vagos. Made as a pair at CharlesSpire’s workshop between 1752 and 1753, it features a cover whosedecoration represents a sculptural group allusive to hunting.This setting, evidencing the identified stylistic contagion,reveals itself once again in the Livre des Légumes, another masterpieceby the same author that must be included in the collectionof sources impacting ceramic creation by resorting to natural, predominantlybotanical, elements. Although the compilation earlycore takes up the representation of plants and vegetables, other blocks deal with topics such as architecture, religious implements,decorative objects and even fireworks.3The set’s orderer, and also of some Chinese export porcelainvases (ca. 1755), was Joaquim Inácio da Cruz Alagoa /Sobral(Lisbon 1725–1781), who held prestigious offices in the Marquessof Pombal administration, such as Royal House nobleman to KingJosé I, member of the Council of the Exchequer and Treasurer ofthe Royal Purse, that would grant him a nobility title as well asopportunities for amassing immense wealth. By royal favour hewould also be given the Honorific Lordship of the town of Sobralde Monte Agraço (by letter patent from April 18th, 1771) and later,on December 19th, 1776, the honour of adding the surname Sobralto his name, with the obligation of using it together with the family’sarmorial shield .
1 Collection Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum—Tenth Series of Designs from the work of J.-A. Meissonnier/Table Centerpiece, c. 1742–1748.
2 Francois-Thomas Germain. French (1726–1791). Paris. France. Europe. 1754. Silver. Object: 21.0 × 36.8 × 23.2 cm (8 1/4 × 14 1/2 × 9 1/8 in.), (Photo by: Sepia Times/Universal ImagesGroup via Getty),
3 Cf.: Huquier, Gabriel, Germain, Thomas, Blondel, François, et al. [estampe], Publication: [S.l.], [1740–1770] Description matérielle: Est.: gravure en taille-douce.