Painted by Charles-Nicolas Dodin (active 1754-1803), one of the most talented artists working at Sèvres, the mythological scene on the front reserve depicts the education of Cupid. The source for the scene was an engraving by René Gaillard, L’Amour à l’Ecole, after Jean-Baptiste Van Loo (1684-1745), in which Venus watches her son Cupid receiving instruction from Mercury. The vase is one of the most sumptuous pieces ever produced by the factory. Its design dates from 1772 and it is thought to be the work of Jean-Jacques Bachelier (artistic director of the manufactory 1748/51-93). Of particular note are the three finely sculpted figures. Mounted on either side of the vase are an eagle trampling on a serpent and a King Charles spaniel barking. The knob of the cover is formed by a hissing Angora cat. These finely executed sculptural elements owe much to the factory’s répareurs, who picked out and sharpened the detail of the relief decoration. Today, only two vases of this shape are known and both are in the Royal Collection. Text adapted from French Porcelain for English Palaces, Sèvres from the Royal Collection, London, 2009