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Rare litron cup in polychrome Sèvres porcelain, with rich decoration of stylized plant motif and gilded palmettes, presenting a copy of the famous painting by David "Belisarius asking for alms", with the fallen and blind general begging in the street, Sèvres signature on the bottom and initials RM, from the 1st Empire period, early 19th century.
This mug is in good overall condition, superb quality. Signed on the bottom.
The painting represented in part was painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1780, it is kept at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille and a reduced-size replica painted in 1784 is kept at the Louvre Museum.
Please note: the handle of the cup was broken and then glued back together (see red arrows), some tiny scratches and wear from time, see photos.
Born around the year 500 in Macedonia, on the borders of Illyria and Thrace, and died in 565 in Constantinople, was an Eastern Roman general. Often victorious, he is sometimes considered the last great Roman general. Through his successes, he contributed greatly to the reconquests of the Eastern Roman Empire desired by the Emperor Justinian, under whose reign he exercised the greater part of his career. During his life, Belisarius was Justinian's greatest general but he later fell out of favor with him.
