The Chantilly porcelain manufactory was established in 1726 by Louis-Henri de Bourbon, Prince de Condé, when he was banished from Paris and Versailles by Louis XV’s chief minister due to his problematic political affiliations. Based at the Prince’s Château de Chantilly, the manufactory produced soft-paste porcelain and constantly sought to discover the elusive secret recipe for producing true hard-paste porcelain. The Prince was a great admirer and collector of Japanese ceramics and this was reflected in the design of Chantilly’s tablewares, often painted in imitation of Japanese designs. This gourd-shape teapot is decorated with patterns and ornament taken from Japanese Kakiemon porcelain. The painted decoration is referred to as the ‘Yellow Squirrel’ pattern, depicting a squirrel among turquoise bamboo poles and wheat sheaves.
