Ref.03131
Diana, enamel by Jeanne Lemerle

The figure of Diana, standing, fills the length of the painting. Totally nude, she leans on a rock, upon which her towel is thrown; the sway of her hips creates a curved line breaking the rigidity of the vertical format. She holds her bow in her left hand, has a moon crescent on her forehead and one of her dogs at her side.For this painting, Jeanne Lemerle chose the theme of Diana resting in a wild rocky landscape, through which water flows. The proximity of the water and her total nudity implies she is about to bathe, or just has. The title of the painting first comes as a surprise because besides the dog, the discreet bow and half moon, no other elements indicate Diana’s hunter identity. As she did with her Daphnis and Chloe painting, Jeanne Lemerle was fond of reinterpreting classical themes.Exhibited at the Salon de Beaux Arts of 1909, along with an enamel portrait, this piece testifies to Jeanne Lemerle’s participation in the artistic life of her times, three years after she was married and had left her father’s workshop.

Ref.13741
SÈVRES Manufacture, Louis-Philippe Period Vase Adorned with a Lush Floral Decoration, 1846

This porcelain vase, featuring rich floral ornamentation, was crafted at the Sèvres Manufacture in 1846. The Sèvres Manufacture was founded in Vincennes in 1740. It quickly gained the favor of Madame de Pompadour, King Louis XV’s mistress, and received royal privilege starting in 1745. In 1756, the manufacture was relocated to Sèvres, and in 1759, Louis XV became its main investor, placing it under the control of the Crown. The discovery of kaolin by two of its researchers in 1768 allowed the royal establishment to produce true porcelain (known as hard-paste porcelain). Between 1800 and 1847, the manufacture was directed by the scientist Alexandre Brongniart, who ensured its remarkable development. The manufacture continued to evolve up to the present day, where it remains a unique center of creation. This vase was made during the reign of King of the French Louis-Philippe (1830-1848). Its overall shape reflects the style in vogue at the time. Set on a flared foot, the body of the vase expands harmoniously towards the neck, first narrowing and then flaring out. The handles are attached to the widest part of the body. Two finely executed pinecones appear to be attached to them by a ribbon, while a large palmette decorates the base of each handle, which, after an elegant curve, connects to the neck of the vase with a scroll adorned with two antique profiles, inspired by Roman cameos. The decoration, highly precise and detailed, consists of multiple intertwined garlands of foliage and flowers. The base is adorned with a frieze of ivy leaves and their fruits; the body features garlands of roses on one side, asters on the other, along with more discreet flowers on both sides such as bindweed, horned violets, or pink evening primrose flowers; behind the garlands, other particularly delicate flowers emerge. Under the handles, where a crown of forget-me-nots encircles a small bouquet of roses, the neck is decorated with branches of wild rose. The whole piece, extremely decorative, is enhanced with gold detailing that transitions between the different parts of the vase and highlights the modeling of the handles. The piece bears two marks stamped by the manufacture under the reign of Louis-Philippe on the base: within a double circle, an intertwined L and P under a crown, framed by the inscriptions: “SÈVRES” on one side and “1846” on the other.