Parisian Service (Haviland service): Sunset (no. 11) - Félix Bracquemond

A delicate etching by Félix Bracquemond, created as a design for the famous Haviland Parisian Service, featuring birds and waves in the Japonisme style.

This etching belongs to the ambitious Parisian Service, a dinnerware project commissioned by the porcelain manufacturer Haviland and Co. in Limoges. Félix Bracquemond, a central figure in the French printmaking revival, designed these pieces to reflect the growing European fascination with Japanese art. The composition demonstrates a clear departure from traditional Western perspective, favouring the asymmetrical arrangements and fluid line work characteristic of ukiyo-e woodblock prints.

In this specific plate, titled Sunset, Bracquemond captures a coastal scene with a sense of movement. A single bird rests upon a rock, while others are caught in flight, their paths forming a sweeping, rhythmic curve across the upper portion of the frame. Below, the sea is rendered with stylised, curling waves that break against the shore, where scattered shells lie on the sand. The artist employs a calligraphic line quality to define the forms, ensuring the image remains light and airy, suitable for the surface of fine porcelain.

Bracquemond was instrumental in introducing Japanese aesthetics to his contemporaries. By integrating these motifs into functional objects, he brought a new visual language into the domestic sphere. The work displays a sophisticated balance between negative space and detailed observation. It avoids the clutter of academic painting, opting instead for a clean, graphic approach that prioritises the elegance of the silhouette. This print serves as a record of the preparatory designs for the service, documenting the artist's process as he adapted naturalistic subjects to fit the circular constraints of dinner plates and serving dishes. The result is a harmonious blend of European technical precision and Eastern compositional sensibilities.