Louis XVI Sèvres: the neoclassical revival at the Royal Porcelain Factory 1770-1800
A lecture by John Whitehead | Thursday 16 October 2025 | 6:00–7:15pm
It couldn’t have been a happier coincidence: the discovery of hard paste and the neoclassical revival together drew Sèvres to new heights in the 1770s and 80s. However, this period has not been as appreciated and well-known as the rococo, so that we still need to be reminded about its masterpieces which are possessed of a novel aesthetic matching the other decorative arts of the time. The lecture will focus on some of the royal orders, marchand-mercier pieces, and, to finish, at the 1790s, the troubled time of the Revolution.
About the Speaker
John Whitehead is a dealer, writer and lecturer specialising in French 18th and 19th century interior decoration and works of art, with an emphasis on Sèvres porcelain. He is best known for his 1992 book, The French Interior in the Eighteenth Century, which after many years remains the most comprehensive publication on the subject. John Whitehead has served as a member of the Council of the Furniture History Society and is currently a committee member of the French Porcelain Society, with responsibility as co-editor of the Society’s Journal.
DETAILS
When:
Thursday 16 October 2025 | 6:00pm
Cost:
General: single lecture $25
TDRF Member: single lecture $22.50
Please note: tickets for Wednesday evening’s lecture The French 18th Century Interior Revealed are exhausted
Limited parking available on-site.
Wheelchair accessible.
Link Image: Royal Porcelain Factory, Sèvres (France, established 1754), Louis Simon Boizot (1743-1809 modeller), Jean-Jacques Lagrenée le Jeune (1739-1821 painter), Bol-sein (Jatte-téton avec ses pieds à têtes de chèvre), from the Rambouillet Dairy Service, 1787.