It features selling displays by resident dealers in Western and Oriental ceramics whose galleries are based around the Carré Rive Gauche area plus ‘guest’ exhibitors from other parts of the city and further afield who borrow space in the area.
These displays are combined with a lecture programme held at the Bistrot de Paris on the rue de Lille (admission by pre-booking).
This will be the 12th staging of the event with just under 20 galleries taking part for an eight-day run from September 10-17.
Between them the material on sale offers aficionados a vast range: from Renaissance maiolica; pieces by 19th, 20th and contemporary ceramicists; classic examples of 18th century Sèvres to Chinese Qianlong porcelain and export wares.
Museum link-up
In recent years the Parcours has linked up with a French regional museum – the idea being to shine a spotlight on ceramic cultural holdings in institutions beyond the capital. This year the focus is on Chinese export porcelain courtesy of the Musée de la Compagnie des Indes (The French East India Company Museum) in Lorient, Brittany.
The museum will bring a selection of its exhibits to Paris, displaying one piece in each of the participating galleries to give a small taste of what the visitor can see if they come to Lorient. And, as a philanthropic gesture, the exhibitors have got together to purchase and donate a piece that fills a gap in the museum’s holdings.
The opening lecture will be devoted to aspects of the Compagnie des Indes and the export in China given by the museum’s director and curator Brigitte Nicolas.
Gallery highlights
Gallery Röbbig as part of the Parcours will offer this plate from the so-called Earl of Jersey service from c.1735 featuring chinoiserie decoration based on an engraving by Pieter Schenk Junior.
Joining the Parisian exhibitors at the Parcours de la Céramique from Germany for the first time as a guest exhibitor is the famous porcelain specialist from Munich Gallery Röbbig.
It will be bringing a selection of pieces to show at Michel Vandermeersch, Voltaire Antiquités on the Quai Voltaire. Much of this is the Meissen porcelain tablewares and figures for which the German gallery is so well known.
They include this 9in (24cm) diameter plate from the so-called Earl of Jersey service from c.1735 featuring chinoiserie decoration based on an engraving by Pieter Schenk Junior. Prices range from around €4000 for miniature Meissen vases to €80,000-250,000 for rare tablewares or commedia dell’arte groups.
Parcours resident participant JM Béalu & Fils on the rue de Bac will be showing this Qianlong period candlestick.
Plenty of export porcelain will be on show at this year’s Parcours de la Céramique in acknowledgment of the presence of the guest museum from Lorient. Resident participant JM Béalu & Fils on the rue de Bac will be showing this 6¾in (17cm) high Qianlong period candlestick.
It is inspired by European models in silver and pewter, but the extra refinement of a pair of dogs upright on their hind legs is a feature unseen in Western models. The piece, with restoration to one of the dogs and some of the small areas of loss, is priced at €6500.
Also see picture highlights top.
