Lidded Bowl on Dish (écuelle ronde et plateau rond)

Madame Louise of France, the eighth daughter of the French King Louis XV, probably drank from this bowl. Known as an écuelle, it would have held bouillon-- a light, nourishing broth taken as a snack between meals. Madame Louise's monogram ML and the coat of arms of an unmarried royal princess are painted on the lid and dish. Lidded bowls with accompanying dishes were produced in large numbers at the Vincennes and Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory in a variety of shapes, sizes, and decorative schemes. Royal coats of arms rarely appear on Sèvres porcelain, and monograms are almost as uncommon, except on certain dinner services.