Mennecy French soft-paste porcelain box representing Clara, the celebrated Dutch Rhinoceros. c.1753
7 x 4 x 7 cm
Private collection
The soft-paste porcelain box of Clara is ascribed to the earliest years of the Mennecy factory, around 1753 which coincided with her second visit. The Mennecy factory (1750 – 1773) was situated in a village south of Paris and was the continuation of the earlier Villeroy factory (1734 / 7 – 1748). Both under the patronage of the duc de Villeroy, they were operated by François Barbin and family. The mark DV was used by both factories. Production was large and varied. Smaller wares and all types of useful objects, including many different figures and little boxes, were a speciality. In around 1772 the factory transferred to Bourg-la-Reine, where lesser- quality production continued until 1804 / 5. Interestingly, only rarely are boxes from any of these soft-paste factories marked, which can make attribution sometimes less obvious. Paste, glaze, moulding and polychrome decoration can be helpful aids to attribution. Whilst Clara’s first visit to Paris was celebrated in early 1749, it is most probable that this Mennecy box was manufactured during her second visit in 1753.
Further information:
Klaber, P. 2026. Clara in Paris. Keramos (Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft der Keramikfreunde) 261: 3-17, figs. 1-12.
