By Yasmine Maylin
When porcelain tells the story of a great European dynasty.
Over the centuries, certain works of art transcend their status as mere objects to become privileged witnesses to history. Sèvres porcelain belongs to this rare category: fragile by nature, yet remarkably enduring in the collective memory. With the exhibition « Sèvres, a Rothschild passionFrom Paris to the Villa Ephrussi, presented from April 17 to July 26, 2026Paris invites you to rediscover the extraordinary dialogue between a great European dynasty and one of the jewels of French decorative arts.
Through this immersive retrospective, porcelain becomes language, heritage, and memory. It tells the story of the genius of 18th-century artisans, the enlightened taste of the Rothschilds, and the upheavals of European history.
The Sèvres Manufactory, a jewel of French refinement
Founded in the 18th century at the behest of the royal court, the Sèvres National Porcelain Manufactory quickly established itself as an absolute symbol of French refinement. At a time when the decorative arts played a significant role in the political and cultural prestige of the kingdom, Sèvres embodied technical excellence and artistic audacity.
The fineness of the paste, the perfection of the baking, and the richness of the colors distinguish its creations. The colors, which have become legendary: Pompadour rose, sky blue, green apple They compete in intensity and depth. The forms are surprising: monumental vases, delicate bowls, hybrid objects inspired by nature, architecture or fantastic bestiary.
Each piece is the result of a subtle dialogue between painting, sculpture, and ornamentation. Mythological scenes, floral motifs, and allegories unfold with extreme precision, making Sèvres porcelain a total art form. From the 18th century onward, these works circulated throughout Europe, captivating sovereigns, aristocrats, and prominent collector families.
The Rothschilds, aesthetes and visionary collectors
In the 19th century, the Rothschild family established itself as one of the greatest dynasties of European collecting. Influential bankers, enlightened patrons, passionate art lovers, the Rothschilds developed a true culture of beauty, nourished by a pronounced taste for French decorative arts.
Based in Paris, London, Vienna, and Naples, they patiently assembled some of the finest porcelain from the Sèvres Manufactory, favoring 18th-century masterpieces. These acquisitions took place within the context of a booming art market: the major public auctions of the 19th century became social events where a true aesthetic competition played out.
But for the Rothschilds, the collection transcends mere social prestige. The works are conceived as a timeless, carefully passed down from generation to generation. They circulate between the different family branches, travelling from a Parisian townhouse to an English castle, from Ferrières to Waddesdon Manor.
Presented in elegant display cases or integrated into sumptuous settings, Sèvres porcelain contributes to a lifestyle where taste, knowledge and transmission occupy a central place.
Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild, a woman at the heart of the story
Within this European dynasty, Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild She emblematically embodies the spirit of great collecting. A passionate heiress, she dedicated her life and fortune to acquiring works of excellence, driven by a now-famous motto: "Ars patriae decus", Art is the honor of the nation..
Fascinated by French decorative arts and the virtuosity of the Sèvres Manufactory, she assembled a remarkable collection of porcelain at the beginning of the 20th century, chosen with exceptional discernment. Each piece reflects a knowledgeable eye, sensitive to the balance of forms, the quality of the decoration, and the technical perfection.
To house her treasures, Beatrice had a building constructed on the heights of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat the spectacular Villa Ephrussi de RothschildDominating the Mediterranean, this residence becomes a showcase for his collections and an aesthetic manifesto in its own right.
A visionary, deeply committed to the transmission of heritage, she decided in 1934 to bequeath the villa and its collections to theAcademy of Fine Artsoffering the public an exceptional testimony to the taste and refinement of a great aesthete.
An immersive exhibition combining art, memory and history
The exhibition "Sèvres, a Rothschild passion" It offers an immersive journey that retraces this unique artistic and family adventure. Visitors discover porcelains with vibrant colors and virtuoso forms, displayed in settings evoking the atmosphere of the grand Rothschild residences.
The works engage in a dialogue with unpublished archivesOld photographs and historical documents reveal the trajectory of these collections across Europe. From Paris to the Villa Ephrussi, the exhibition highlights the circulation of objects, their transmission, but also their fragility in the face of historical upheavals.
Because the exhibition does not shy away from the darker episodes of the 20th century. During the Second World War, Rothschild properties in France, Germany, and Austria were looted. Many works were dispersed: some disappeared, others reappeared decades later.
Through exceptional loans prestigious institutions such as the Louvre Museum or Château de VersaillesThe exhibition today recreates a unique panorama of this turbulent history.
When porcelain becomes memory
Beyond their brilliance and virtuosity, Sèvres porcelain tells a profoundly human story. Each vase, each cup, each object bears the mark of an artisan, a collector, an era.
The exhibition reminds us that works of art are not merely symbols of beauty or prestige. They are also silent witnesses, bearers of memory, revealers of human passions and cultural transformations.
Through "Sèvres, a Rothschild passion", it's a whole lifestyle European that resurfaces: that of a time when creation, taste and collecting fully participated in the writing of history.
With this exhibition, Paris once again confirms its major role in promoting French heritage and decorative arts, offering the public an experience where luxury engages in dialogue with memory, and where porcelain becomes a story in its own right.
Visuals: Exhibition Sèvres, a Rothschild passion
