Objects of Luxury: French porcelain of the eighteenth century

France, during the 18th Century, dazzled Europe through the brilliance of its court. The rich and fashionable lived in a world of unparalleled refinement, fuelling an insatiable market for luxury goods. However, the 18th Century was also a time of intense scientific enquiry and innovative research that witnessed, throughout Europe, marvellous achievements in this sphere. One of the most exciting discoveries was the successful production of porcelain. Known as 'white gold', porcelain was produced for use in all aspects of fashionable public and private life; from banquets to boudoirs, from tea drinking to the toilette.