SOLD 18th Century Bisque Porcelain Figure of a Young Shepherdess

French Paris (Locre Factory) Hard-Paste Porcelain Figure of a Young Sheperdess, Late 18th Century. She cradles a lamb in her skirts, one foot perched on a tree root, with tree branches above her stylish hat. A fine King Charles-type spaniel is seated at her feet. Modelled on circular rocky base decorated with sparse grasses.

Incised marks with crossed arrows, and A within V, for Locre. 

11 1/2" H. 

Circa 1775.

The factory at Rue Fontaine-au-Roy, La Cortille, Paris went through several iterations of ownership. These include the 14 years of its founder, Jean-Baptiste Locre de Roissy, 1773-1787. Locre himself had spent many years in Germany, where he learned the art of making and modelling porcelain in the German style. He married a woman from Leipzig, then returned with his family to set up a porcelain shop in Paris.

Later, Martin de Bussy joined as partner in 1777, as did Laurent Russinger, a former modeller at the Hoechst factory. In the early years of the 19th Century, under the Napoleonic Reign, Pouyat ran the factory.

In its many years of operations, Locre often made products considered as fine as Sevres, despite the many advantages of contacts, materials and publicity that Sevres enjoyed.

The figure is exceedingly rare. It is illustrated, together with a companion of sorts, in Aileen Dawson, French Porcelain, A Catalogue of the British Museum Collection, # 256, page 345-346. 

Another, sold by Dragesco-Cramoisan, 1992, of identical form, marked with crossed arrows and K, incised.

Condition: Very good condition, with the following caveats: There is a very light firing crack within the base well. A few tiny chips to leaves. Very light firing crack to left forepaw of the dog. 

Please note that AFTER PURCHASE WE WILL CONTACT YOU REGARDING THE COST OF SHIPPING.