When Chantilly imitated Arita

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The beginning of the eighteenth century lived an intense mutual curiosity between Western Europe, particularly France and Holland, and the Far East: China and Japan. The world of art keeps many witnesses of such exchanges.

One of the vectors of this cultural trade is porcelain. In Japan, the main production center was the region of Arita, whose style is known as Imari, the name of the export harbour of these goods.

On February 20 in Paris (Drouot), Chayette et Cheval sell a rooster in Chantilly porcelain. 33 cm high, polychrome, it has the fine and slender look of the most beautiful bird statues of Arita. Not listed in the production of Chantilly, it is a witness of the trials that this factory made circa 1735 to match the technique of Arita potters. It was indeed at Chantilly that the oldest French porcelains had been produced.

This beautiful and expressive beast of remarkable realism expects 120 K €.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Unsold. This beautiful piece was probably too atypical. Too bad it was not a true porcelain of Arita!