Drawing of a Chinese Celadon Vase with Gilt-Bronze Mounts
Anonymous, French, 18th century French
After François Joseph Belanger French
After Pierre Gouthière French
Not on view
This drawing records one of two celadon porcelain ewers with neoclassical gilt-bronze mounts after a design by Belanger, and executed by Pierre Gouthière. They were part of the collection of the Duke of Aumont and sold at auction in 1782, and then again in 1784. Their current whereabouts are unknown. Several drawings are connected with the two ewers, including one in Besançon by Pierre Adrien Pâris and another at the BnF in Paris. Both are much smaller in size and have been related to the 1782 sales catalogue by Charlotte Vignon in the 2016 exhibition catalogue: "Pierre Gouthière. Virtuoso Gilder at the French Court". This drawing is in a different hand and in a slightly different color pallet than the drawing in Paris, with the celadon vase executed in a lighter green shade. The upper half of the celadon vase is further distinguished by incised decorations. Rather than showing the other side of the same ewer, this confirms that the drawing records the other ewer and that the two were not identical.
