Saucer (soucoupe enfoncé)

Sèvres Manufactory

1765 · Soft-paste porcelain · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

The socketed saucer (soucoupe enfoncé) provided stability by means of the deep well in which the cup sat. This type of cup, likely intended for milk drinks, was probably also used for hot chocolate; a 1771 French catalogue refers to this form as a chocolate cup. It is now thought that the gobelet et soucoupe enfoncé was for use by the sick. It was probably designed for Madame du Pompadour (d. 1764), the only purchaser of this specific type of cup and saucer during her lifetime. Later examples were acquired primarily by the French royal family or by members of the court.

Artist

Sèvres Manufactory

Date

1765

Medium

Soft-paste porcelain

Culture

French, Sèvres

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Ronald D. Schwarz, 1964