Parisian Service (Haviland Service) - Félix Bracquemond

A delicate etching by Félix Bracquemond, featuring pheasants and flora designed for the innovative Haviland Parisian Service.

This etching by Félix Bracquemond represents a design element from the famous Parisian Service, a dinnerware set commissioned by the Haviland porcelain factory in Limoges. Bracquemond, a central figure in the French etching revival, was an early enthusiast of Japanese art. This work demonstrates his assimilation of ukiyo-e aesthetics, specifically the asymmetrical compositions and the focus on natural subjects found in the prints of Hokusai and Hiroshige.

The composition is sparse, utilising the negative space of the paper to suggest an open, airy environment. Several pheasants are depicted in various states of activity, some resting on the ground and others perched within delicate, spindly branches. The line work is precise and economical, capturing the texture of feathers and the organic growth of flora with minimal strokes. A faint circular boundary is visible, indicating the intended placement of the design upon the curved surface of a ceramic plate.

Bracquemond designed this service to break away from the rigid, symmetrical patterns common in mid-nineteenth-century European porcelain. By introducing these asymmetrical, nature-based motifs, he helped popularise the Japonisme movement among the French bourgeoisie. The service was exhibited at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris, where it received significant attention for its departure from traditional decorative norms. This print serves as a record of the preparatory work required to translate these delicate etchings onto industrial ceramic production. It remains a clear example of the cross-pollination between fine art printmaking and the decorative arts during the late nineteenth century.