Jacob Petit Porcelain Figural Inkstand

A large Jacob Petit porcelain figural inkstand. The cover is modelled as a seated young woman dressed in period clothing and holding a basket. Surrounding her are delicate multi-colored florals. The base is richly painted in gilt, and contains an inkwell, sander, and two quill / pen holes. The piece is marked J.P.

Jacob Petit, born Jacob Mordecai, was a well-known and celebrated French manufacturer of nineteenth-century porcelain. After studying drawing in the studio of Antoine-Jean Gros, a follower of Jacques-Louis David, Petit entered the famous Sèvres Manufacture in 1822, where he painted porcelain. After travelling and studying throughout Europe, on his return to France in 1830-31 he published a comprehensive collection of interior decorations. Together with his brother, Petit bought a porcelain factory in Fontainebleau and, later, a workshop in Paris, where his works were distinguished by their ornamental character and delicate pastel colors.