Mennecy-Villeroy porcelain
Encyclopedia
Mennecy-Villeroy porcelain (or Mennecy porcelain) is a French soft-paste porcelain
from the manufactory established under the patronage of Louis-François-Anne de Neufville, duc de Villeroy (1695-1766)
and — from 1748 — housed in outbuildings ("les petites maisons") in the park of his château de Villeroy, and in the nearby village of Mennecy
(Île-de-France
). The duke's DV and D.V. incised or in underglaze blue were used as the factory mark
.William Chaffers, Marks and Monograms on Pottery & Porcelain, s.v. "Menecy porcelain". The elite wares of Mennecy were intended to compete with Chantilly porcelain
and other small manufactures, which were joined in 1745 by Vincennes porcelain
. Besides table wares, Mennecy-Villeroy specialized in small figures, representing the Seasons, commedia dell'arte
characters, and other galanteries.
The arcanist in charge was François Barbin (1691-1765), who was already established as a maker of faience
under Villeroy's protection when the parish registers commence in 1737. Barbin was identified in an action at law of August 1748 as having already spent fourteen years (i.e. since 1734) as a maker of porcelain in a house in the rue de Charonne, faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris, where he and his wares had recently been seized and the porcelain sold, as impinging upon the prerogatives of the monopoly for exclusive manufacture of porcelains "in the manner of Saxony" (that is, Meissen porcelain
) granted to the manufacture of porcelain at Vincennes
; he sought protection away from Paris, with his protector the well-connected duc de Villeroy, combining his porcelain manufacture with the already established faience industry at the château de Villeroy and Mennecy. None of these early "rue de Charennes" porcelains made in 1734-48 have been identified, but a piece of faience at the Musée de Sèvres bears the date 1748 and the mark D.V..
Management of the factory was assumed by Barbin's son, Jean-Baptiste, who bought out his father and his brother-in-law; after the younger Barbin's death shortly after his father, 14 September 1765, the lease was bought from his widow by partners of the porcelain manufactory at Sceaux
, the sculptor Charles-Symphorien Jacques and the painter Joseph Jullien, who shifted the factory to Bourg-la-Reine
, close to the main market, Paris
— where Barbin had not received a permit to construct a kiln
in 1748. There they had the protection of Louis-Charles de Bourbon, comte d'Eu.
Soft-paste porcelain
Soft-paste porcelain is a type of a ceramic material, sometimes referred to simply as "soft paste". The term is used to describe soft porcelains such as bone china, Seger porcelain, vitreous porcelain, new Sèvres porcelain, Parian porcelain and soft feldspathic porcelain, and is also used more...
from the manufactory established under the patronage of Louis-François-Anne de Neufville, duc de Villeroy (1695-1766)
Neufville de Villeroy family
The Neufville de Villeroy family was a French noble family, the most notable member of which was François de Neufville, duc de Villeroi. It was descended from a finance minister to Louis XII.-Titles:...
and — from 1748 — housed in outbuildings ("les petites maisons") in the park of his château de Villeroy, and in the nearby village of Mennecy
Mennecy
Mennecy is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Mennecy are known as Menneçois.-Twin towns:...
(Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
). The duke's DV and D.V. incised or in underglaze blue were used as the factory mark
Factory mark
A factory mark is a symbolic marking afixed by manufacturers on their productions in order to authentify them. Numerous factory marks are known throughout the ages, and are essential in determining the provenance or dating of productions....
.William Chaffers, Marks and Monograms on Pottery & Porcelain, s.v. "Menecy porcelain". The elite wares of Mennecy were intended to compete with Chantilly porcelain
Chantilly porcelain
Chantilly porcelain is French soft-paste porcelain produced between 1730 and 1800 by the manufactory of Chantilly in Oise, France.-Foundation:...
and other small manufactures, which were joined in 1745 by Vincennes porcelain
Vincennes porcelain
The Vincennes porcelain manufactory was established in 1740 in the disused royal Château de Vincennes, in Vincennes, east of Paris, which was from the start the main market for its wares.-History:...
. Besides table wares, Mennecy-Villeroy specialized in small figures, representing the Seasons, commedia dell'arte
Commedia dell'arte
Commedia dell'arte is a form of theatre characterized by masked "types" which began in Italy in the 16th century, and was responsible for the advent of the actress and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. The closest translation of the name is "comedy of craft"; it is shortened...
characters, and other galanteries.
The arcanist in charge was François Barbin (1691-1765), who was already established as a maker of faience
Faience
Faience or faïence is the conventional name in English for fine tin-glazed pottery on a delicate pale buff earthenware body, originally associated with Faenza in northern Italy. The invention of a white pottery glaze suitable for painted decoration, by the addition of an oxide of tin to the slip...
under Villeroy's protection when the parish registers commence in 1737. Barbin was identified in an action at law of August 1748 as having already spent fourteen years (i.e. since 1734) as a maker of porcelain in a house in the rue de Charonne, faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris, where he and his wares had recently been seized and the porcelain sold, as impinging upon the prerogatives of the monopoly for exclusive manufacture of porcelains "in the manner of Saxony" (that is, Meissen porcelain
Meissen porcelain
Meissen porcelain or Meissen china is the first European hard-paste porcelain that was developed from 1708 by Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus. After his death that October, Johann Friedrich Böttger, continued his work and brought porcelain to the market...
) granted to the manufacture of porcelain at Vincennes
Vincennes porcelain
The Vincennes porcelain manufactory was established in 1740 in the disused royal Château de Vincennes, in Vincennes, east of Paris, which was from the start the main market for its wares.-History:...
; he sought protection away from Paris, with his protector the well-connected duc de Villeroy, combining his porcelain manufacture with the already established faience industry at the château de Villeroy and Mennecy. None of these early "rue de Charennes" porcelains made in 1734-48 have been identified, but a piece of faience at the Musée de Sèvres bears the date 1748 and the mark D.V..
Management of the factory was assumed by Barbin's son, Jean-Baptiste, who bought out his father and his brother-in-law; after the younger Barbin's death shortly after his father, 14 September 1765, the lease was bought from his widow by partners of the porcelain manufactory at Sceaux
Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine
Sceaux is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Wealth:Sceaux is famous for the Château of Sceaux, set in its large park , designed by André Le Nôtre, measuring...
, the sculptor Charles-Symphorien Jacques and the painter Joseph Jullien, who shifted the factory to Bourg-la-Reine
Bourg-la-Reine
Bourg-la-Reine is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. The inhabitants are called Réginaburgiens. The town is twinned with Kenilworth, UK.-History:...
, close to the main market, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
— where Barbin had not received a permit to construct a kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
in 1748. There they had the protection of Louis-Charles de Bourbon, comte d'Eu.