Internationale Orden & militaerhistorische Sammlungsstuecke

210 | and handle, the vase-shaped body panels with a depiction of a “perro- quet lori nouara”, height 19.5 cm. The sugar dish mounted on three claw feet, gilding on the rim and lid with its swan handle, the cup-shaped body with a depiction of a “(seconde variété du) perroquet cendré”, “(variété du) perroquet à face rouge” and a “perroquet brun”. Overall height 19 cm. The twelve cups with saucers all embellished with gilding on the overhanging bases, the moulded handles with coiled swan-necks and mascarons at the end of the handles and on the inner surfaces, with other, different illustrations of parrots from the work of Francois Levaillant on the front. Height of the cups approx. 74 mm, at the handles approx. 93 mm. The saucers with gilt rims, the centre with gilt borders and circular gilding in the middle, diameter 13 cm. An unparalleled service of superb quality and in perfect, unchipped and unused condition. According to family tradition, Emperor Napoleon I apparently present- ed a work on the various species of parrots, which had been published in 1805, to the Bavarian King, Max I Joseph, an enthusiastic ornitho­ logist, at a meeting in Paris. The King commissioned the Manufaktur Nymphenburg to produce this service as a gift for a friend of his, a physician and fellow ornithologist, based on this reference work. The King’s passion for ornithology was not least reflected in the construc- tion of the menagerie in Nymphenburg, where he also kept parrots; this is borne out by the picture of a macaw in the menagerie, painted by Philippe Leclerc in 1813, which is in the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung in Munich. Francois Levaillant (1753 - 1824) was a French author, scientist and ornithologist. His numerous ornithological works are regarded as groundbreaking; in the process, he disregarded bio­ logical nomenclature and only assigned French names. Jacques Barra- band (approx. 1767 - 1809) was an important illustrator of zoological and botanical works. His naturalistic drawings are considered the most accurate of the 18th century. P rovenance : Acquired by the consignor during the 1970s from a descendant of the physician and ornithologist who had been a friend of the King’s; however, the provenance of this service was passed on with- out disclosing the name. At any rate, the part of the account relating to the book of parrot species that was published in 1805 can be verified, as the second volume of Francois Levaillant’s “Histoire naturelles des per- roquets” was in fact printed in Paris in 1805. Moreover, the illustrations by Jacques Barraband match the depictions of parrots on the service perfectly, apart from slight variations in the colouring and minor details (Barraband mainly drew gnarled branches, while the Manufaktur Nymphenburg added leaves in most cases). The following quotation illustrates the high esteem in which Napoleon held Levaillant’s work: “After he had made himself Emperor, it was part of Napoleon’s deliber- ate policy to initiate a series of magnificent publications that would vie with those undertaken on the orders of Louis XIV. These were sent as presents to crowned heads, men of science, and learned bodies, in evi- dence of the splendours of the Empire [...]. The works of Levaillant owe their sumptous character to [...] this impetus. His Histoire naturelle des perroquets is, unwittingly, a part of the glories of Napoleonic France”, cf . Fine Bird Books, p. 90. 280301 I - € 17.500 schen König und begeisterten Vogelkundler Max I. Joseph bei einem Treffen in Paris ein dort 1805 erschienenes Werk über Papageienarten geschenkt haben. Dieses gab der König als Vorlage der Manufaktur Nymphenburg, um dieses Service für einen befreundeten Arzt und Vogelkundler als Geschenk anfertigen zu lassen. Die Vorliebe des Königs für die Vogelkunde spiegelt sich nicht zuletzt im Bau der Mena- gerie in Nymphenburg wider. Dort hielt er auch Papageien, wie das Bild eines Aras der Menagerie, 1813 von Philippe Leclerc gemalt, in der Staatlichen Graphischen Sammlung in München verdeutlicht. Francois Levaillant (1753-1824), französischer Autor, Naturwissenschaftler und Ornithologe, seine zahlreichen ornithologischenWerke gelten als bahn- brechend, er lehnte dabei die biologische Nomenklatur ab und vergab ausschließlich französische Namen. Jacques Barraband (ca. 1767-1809), bedeutender Illustrator zoologischer und botanischer Werke, seine lebensechten Zeichnungen galten als die präzisesten des 18. Jhdts. Provenienz: In den 1970er Jahren von einem der Nachfahren des mit dem König befreundeten Arztes und Vogelkundlers vom Einlieferer erworben, die Provenienz zu diesem Service wurde dabei ohne Namensnennung weitergegeben. Zumindest der Teil der Überlieferung in Bezug auf das 1805 erschienene Werk über Papageienarten kann verifiziert werden, da der zweite Band von Francois Levaillants „Histoire naturelles des perroquets” tatsächlich 1805 in Paris erschien und die Illustrationen von Jacques Barraband mit minimalen Abwei- chungen in der Farbgebung bzw. in Details (so zeichnete Barraband überwiegend knorrige Äste, die Manufaktur Nymphenburg ergänzte zumeist Blätter) exakt den Papageien-Darstellungen auf dem Service entsprechen. Über Napoleons Wertschätzung für Levaillants Werk findet sich folgendes Zitat: „After he had made himself Emperor, it was part of Napoleon’s deliberate policy to initiate a series of magnificent publications that would vie with those undertaken on the orders of Louis XIV. These were sent as presents to crowned heads, men of science, and learned bodies, in evidence of the splendours of the Em- pire [...]. The works of Levaillant owe their sumptous character to [...] this impetus. His Histoire naturelle des perroquets is, unwittingly, a part of the glories of Napoleonic France”, cf . Fine Bird Books, p. 90. Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria – an unparalleled coffee and tea service with parrot motifs, Porcelain Manufacture Nymphen- burg,circa 1810/20 The service was inspired by the two-volume work “Histoire naturelle des perroquets” by Francois Levaillant, with illustrations by Jacques Barraband, which was published in 1801 and 1805. Complete 16-piece service in hard-paste porcelain with outstanding, hand-painted décor in vibrant overglaze colours and lavish gilding, the lozenge shield in the form of 1810 to 1850 pressed into the base, along with diverse incised marks. Comprising a lidded coffee pot with gilding on the overhanging ring stand, the spout, the handle, the plate-shaped flaring neck and the lid, with its acorn-shaped knob, the vase-like body panels featuring a depiction of the “perroquet à flanc rouges” and a “perroquet grand lori (male)”, overall height 25.5 cm. The teapot also embellished with gilding on the ring stand, spout, handle and lid, the cup-shaped panels with a depiction of a “lori à franges bleues” and a “(variété du) lori à collier”. Total height 20 cm. The cream jug also gilded on the base, neck