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Julien-Nicolas Rivart (1802-1867) – Photo album with porcelain marquetry decoration on leather

The porcelain decoration on the cover was created using a technique patented by Julien-Nicolas Rivart. The painted design depicts three winged Cupids within a frame outlined in gold leaf. The black leather cover contrasts with and highlights the vibrancy of the porcelain. Most works using Rivart's patented technique are executed on a wood or stone support; leather support for porcelain marquetry is therefore particularly rare. When he developed this technique, Rivart drew inspiration from both Florentine hardstone mosaics and the 18th-century vogue for porcelain plaques set into panels. In doing so, he perfected an original technique, revolutionizing the use of porcelain in the decorative arts. Having won numerous awards at World's Fairs, Rivart's creations were highly acclaimed. His ingenious technique is considered one of the most important innovations for furniture decoration at the time and was unanimously praised by critics. Patenting his invention in 1849, Rivart secured a unique, but rare, production of furniture and small decorative items of exceptional quality and refinement. This rare photo album testifies to the preciousness of the technique: the endpapers and flyleaf are adorned with royal blue velvet, and the page edges are gilded with gold leaf. This album undoubtedly belonged to a very devout person, as it contained photographs (now missing) captioned with biblical passages or portraits of religious figures. It is secured with a brass lock.