Lidded Bowl and Dish (Écuelle ronde et plateau rond)

This bowl, called an écuelle, originally held a light meat broth known as bouillon, which was drunk between meals. Specific features of both the form and decoration of these vessels allow scholars to date them precisely. The dark blue ground, known as bleu lapis, was not developed until 1752. The factory mark of the crossed L's, which is painted on the bottom of the dish, does not include a date letter, implying that the bowl was made before the introduction of the first date letter in 1753. These two pieces of information pinpoint the creation period within those two years. The fantastic birds, set in elaborately gilded asymmetrical cartouches, are typical of the Rococo style.