A Sèvres biscuit group of 'Les Mangeurs de Raisins' circa 1755-66

modelled after Boucher, the young couple are seated on a rocky mound, the boy feeding grapes to his companion from a basket of grapes held at his side, his hat and dog at his feet

Purchased by H. E. Backer Antiques for £150 from Sotheby's, 30th January 1951, lot 13 (illustrated plate II) on 5% commission.  Backer's invoice dated 7th February, 1951.

 The Wallace Collection, 2004-5, to accompany Boucher: Seductive Visions

Typical chips and minor losses to applied grapes, leaves and other extremities. There is a chip to the rim of her overskirt in the centre of the front side of the piece, directly above the open firing crack. There has been an attempt to fill this latter crack, and similarly two other smaller cracks through the footrim at the rear, and two more short cracks through the folds of her apron next to both her hands have some evidence of attempted filling. (It is suggested in the Getty catalogue cited above, that this filling may be contemporary). There are various fine cracks and extended firing crack, eg. through the right side of the boy's face and neck, through the dog's body, tail and right rear leg, through the brim of the hat, through the folds of her apron at the front running besides her right hand and wrist,.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This model and its companion group, Les Flûteurs or L'Agréable Leçon, were modelled after designs by François Boucher.  The original paintings by Boucher illustrate scenes from a comic opera by his friend Charles-Simon Favart; La Vallée de Montmorency.  Les Mangeurs de Raisins (now called Autumn Pastoral) is in the Wallace Collection in London, and its companion is in Melbourne in the National Gallery of Victoria.  Engravings of both subjects by René Gaillard survive in the collection of the Sèvres Archives.  However, only one is dated, L'Agréable Leçon of 1758, and the models were certainly in production prior to this date.  For the glazed Vincennes versions of L'Agréable Leçon, circa 1752,  see Linda H. Roth and Clare Le Corbeiller, French 18th Century Porcelain at the Wadsworth Atheneum, 2000, pp342-345, no. 171.  For the original plaster model for Les Mangeurs de Raisins, see Tamara Préaud, International Ceramics Fair Handbook, 2002, p. 47. 

The models were popular for many years and a pair was in the collection of Mme. de Pompadour at her death in 1764.  For a full discussion of both models, see Adrian Sassoon, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Vincennes and Sèvres Porcelain, 1991, pp. 29-33, no. 6.