"Sevres Then and Now: Tradition and Innovation in Porcelain, 1750-2000" showcases the longstanding achievements of the French porcelain factory, in particular its unparalleled invention and creativity over three centuries, featuring 87 ceramics from the Hillwood Museum and other collections. Three essays illustrated by exhibits are devoted to innovations in both production and design at the Sevres factory from the 1750s to the 21st-century. The opening section explores the beginnings of the factory in the 18th century, production under royal patronage and the changes brought about by the French Revolution. The 19th-century section examines the classicizing period of the First Empire and the Restoration, the historicist style of the Second Empire and closes with impressionist and Art Nouveau ceramics. The 20th and 21st century essay considers showcase Art Deco pieces, modern era productions of the 1950s and 60s, and the contemporary studio wares of Adrien Saxe, Richard Peduzzi and Cindy Sherman.
