tureen depicting Napoleon and Josephine, lid depicting Roi de Rome and Impératrice Marie-Louise, Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory; Jean Georget

In 1901, Sallie Casey Thayer traveled with her husband, William Bridges Thayer, from their Kansas City home to Europe. While vacationing in Paris, Thayer purchased an elaborate dinner service set at auction. This tureen, produced by the porcelain manufacturer Sèvres, features a bleu de roi (royal blue) background with gold palmettes, laurel wreaths, and arabesques. The placement of the letter “N” around the top of the tureen indicates that it was made during the Napoléonic Era (1799–1815). The entire set was some of the earliest work to enter the Thayer collection and among the family’s most special.
Located in the exhibition Empire of Things, this tureen features a portrait of Empress Josephine (1763–1814), Napoleon’s first wife, facing forward, and Napoleon (1769–1821) on the opposite side.

Tap the image above and swipe to view depictions of both Napoleon and Josephine.