Modeled as lavishly-gilded shells with fluted bands, this porcelain ewer and basin is a fine example of the artistic and technical ambition of the Dagoty factory. The factory was established in Paris in 1800 by the Dagoty brothers, Pierre-Louis (French, 1771–1840) and Etienne-Jean-Baptiste (French, 1772–1800), and was under the protection and patronage of the Empress Joséphine. By this date, Paris boasted nineteen porcelain factories, successfully challenging the monopoly once held by the Imperial (formerly “Royal”) Manufactory at Sèvres, and producing wares of significant quality and innovation for the nation’s post-revolutionary elite.

Dagoty porcelain is known for its daring and original designs that excel in their use of sculptural forms and relief decoration along with extensive gilding, as exemplified by the bold shell-like forms of this ewer and basin, to which branches imitating red coral have been applied. The naturalistic design might be considered an antecedent to the Rococo Revival style, which became more widespread after the 1830s. However, with a creole (West Indian-born) empress lending her support to the factory, and an estimated one in eight Frenchmen deriving their income from colonial trade, shells in particular reflect an enduring interest in “exotic” non-European flora and fauna.