The Remarkable World of French Porcelain with John Whitehead

Hear from John Whitehead, renowned international French porcelain specialist and contributor to the NGV’s 2024 publication, Observations: Moments in Design History, as he discusses the NGV’s holdings of eighteenth-century French porcelain, finishing with a close look at the magnificent Art Nouveau suite of Scarf Dance figures by the Sèvres manufactory, now on display at NGV International.

The Scarf Dance (Le Jeu de l’Écharpe) series of porcelain figures by the Sèvres manufactory has become one of the most iconic expressions of the Art Nouveau style, embodying the principles of organic form and movement and the representation of the now liberated female form. It comprises figures of women dressed in flowing garments and dancing with scarves and musical instruments. While each individual has a distinctive character and pose, the whole ensemble possesses a rhythm and harmony that contributes to the unity of the whole.