Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée national de Céramique de Sèvres is inseparable from the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, founded in 1740 in Vincennes by Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour to compete with the porcelains of Meissen and Chantilly. Transferred to Sèvres in 1756, the factory moved to a 130-metre-long building designed by architect Lindet, under the supervision of Jean-Rodolphe Perronet, near Bellevue Castle. This site, organized in specialized workshops (moulding, painting, cooking), becomes the official supplier of European courses and symbolizes French excellence in ceramics.

The initial production is based on soft porcelain, the secret of which is controlled by Louis-François Gravant. From 1759, under the direction of Jacques-René Boileau, the manufacture sought to penetrate the mysteries of hard porcelain, buying processes from the Hannong family. The discovery of kaolin in Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche in 1765 finally allowed the production of this resistant porcelain, marketed in 1773. The era of Alexander Brongniart (1800-1847) marked the climax of Sèvres, with innovations such as the bottom scale and an international reputation.

In 1876, the factory moved to modern buildings on the edge of the Parc de Saint-Cloud, where it now coexisted with the museum. The latter, created to preserve historical collections, merged in 2010 with the manufacture within the Cité de la céramique - Sèvres et Limoges. Ranked a historic monument, the manufacture perpetuates a unique artisanal know-how, combining reissues of ancient models and contemporary creations, while supplying the French State (Presidency, ministries, embassies).

The 19th century wood kilns, classified in 1993, illustrate this technical heritage. Working with birch, they allow high temperature cooking (up to 1,300 °C) for exceptional parts, as during the last public cooking in 2021. The Sèvres blue, an iconic cobalt oxide colour, and the kaolin decorations of Saint-Yrieix bear witness to this tradition. Since 2025, the manufacture has been integrated into the National Manufactures - Sèvres & National Furniture, under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture.

The site, open to the public, also houses a ceramic school and two exhibition galleries (Sèvres and Paris). Despite recent polemics about the partial demolition of its classified enclosure, the factory remains a living place, combining artisanal production, research and cultural dissemination. His creations, visible in the largest contemporary art fairs (FIAC, PAD), perpetuate a legacy of nearly three centuries, between heritage and innovation.

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