hods and
materials used by the German porcelain makers, the artificial or glassy
porcelain held sway in France through the greater part of the 18th
century. The next important factory after St Cloud was that founded at
Chantilly about 1725 under the patronage of the Prince de Conde, an
enthusiastic collector of Chinese and Japanese porcelains. One
distinctive feature of the Chantilly porcelain is its imitation of the
Japanese Imari wares of the 17th century, especially those bearing
delicate patterns in the Kakiemon style. This imitation was not confined
to the decoration alone, but great efforts were made to reproduce the
delicious tender whiteness of the original ware, by covering the body of
the soft porcelain with a coating of the tin-enamel used by the French
faience makers. Similar imitation of the Kakiemon style of decoration
became the rage all over Europe, and was largely followed at Meissen and
in England as well as in France; but no European imitations equalled
those of the famous Chantilly ware.

[Illustration: Lille and Chantilly Potters' marks.]

Other porcelain factories were started at Mennecy-Villeroy and at Lille,
but the most important French factory was that founded at Vincennes
about 1740, not only because of the many beautiful pieces produced
there, but also because the works was taken under the direct patronage
of the king in 1753 and was transferred to Sevres in 1756, becoming
ultimately the most important porcelain factory in Europe.

Fortunately we have documentary information of the exact composition
of the artificial porcelain (_pate tendre_) of Sevres, and a brief
account of its manufacture will serve to explain how all the glassy
porcelains of Europe were made. The potter commenced by preparing a
glass or frit, melting together pure sand, alum, sea-salt, gypsum,
soda and nitre. The clear portions of this frit were powdered and
washed with boiling water, and the working clay was compounded by
adding to such powdered frit a small quantity of chalky clay or marl
and sometimes pure chalk as well. This mixture was ground in water
until the fluid was as fine as cream, and it was then boiled to a
thick paste which was so little plastic in itself that black soap or
parchment size was added to it to give it enough plasticity for the
workman to be able to shape it. Vases and other pieces were made from
this paste by pressing cakes of it in plaster moulds of considerable