A superb polychrome soft-paste porcelain elephant statuette with raised trunk, from the prestigious Chantilly factory and marked with the famous hunting horn, the house's signature. Every detail of this rare piece is hand-painted with exceptional care.
Founded in 1730 at the instigation of the Duke of Bourbon-Condé, the Chantilly factory distinguished itself in the art of soft-paste porcelain, developed in France to rival the hard-paste porcelain of Meissen, renowned for its exquisite Kakiemon decoration, and to reflect the contemporary craze for chinoiserie. Its objective: to recreate the immaculate whiteness and delicacy of Japanese Arita porcelain, while offering decorations of unparalleled lightness.
This elephant perfectly illustrates this expertise. Its "chatironed" decoration, with contours delicately drawn in manganese purple-black before the application of colored enamels, evokes elegance of the Japanese Kakiemon style, very popular in the 18th century. Flowers, foliage and butterflies in shimmering colors adorn the animal and its saddle blanket, bringing relief and poetry to the whole.
This piece is distinguished by the vibrancy of its colors, the delicacy of its lines, and the satiny smoothness of its glaze. There are no cracks or chips to report; only the upper part of the trumpet has been very carefully reattached, and this repair is barely visible.
A fine example of the refinement of Chantilly porcelain, where French decorative art engages in dialogue with Asian influences in a unique and characterful work.
Material: Polychrome soft-paste porcelain
Height: 22 cm
Length: 17 cm
Width: 17 cm
Origin: Chantilly - France
