Fine tableware during the reign of Napoleon I

After the Revolution, the decorative arts flourished once more under the Directoire (1795-1799) thanks to commissions from newly wealthy clients and the introduction of the Exhibitions of French Industry, designed to boost technical innovation among the various professions. The best silversmiths, such as Jean-Baptiste Odiot, produced highly refined tableware whose streamlined forms were decorated with motifs inspired by ancient Greece and Rome: palmettes, butterflies, swans, dolphins, draped figures, fauns, centaurs and sphinxes.

Subscribe to our newsletter (in French)

You are…