Large Lunéville dinner service – Keller & Guérin – *Service Fleuri aux Libellules* – over 80 pieces – France, late 19th / early 20th century Material Glazed earthenware (fine French faience) Description Important and rare large dinner service produced by the renowned French manufacture Keller & Guérin at Lunéville, decorated with the elegant pattern known as Service Fleuri aux Libellules. The decoration combines refined botanical compositions with delicately rendered dragonflies painted in soft blue tones on an ivory ground. Flowing stems, wild flowers and insects create a light and dynamic composition that reflects the artistic climate of the late nineteenth century, when French decorative arts increasingly turned towards organic motifs drawn directly from nature. The presence of dragonflies is particularly characteristic of the Art Nouveau movement, during which insects, aquatic plants and natural forms became central decorative themes. Their elongated bodies and transparent wings lent themselves perfectly to the sinuous lines and naturalistic compositions that defined the style. This imagery also reflects the broader artistic environment of the École de Nancy, the influential artistic circle in Lorraine active around 1890–1905. Artists working in this milieu, including figures such as Émile Galléa and Louis Majorelle, helped popularise naturalistic motifs such as plants, insects and aquatic life across many decorative arts. While this particular pattern cannot be firmly attributed to a specific designer, its botanical sensitivity and the presence of dragonflies place it fully within that same regional artistic context that shaped much of the decorative production of Lorraine at the turn of the twentieth century. The popularity of dragonflies in European decorative arts was also influenced by the phenomenon of Japonisme, as Japanese prints and objects introduced European artists to new natural motifs and compositions inspired by insects and plants. Many pieces bear the KG mark of Keller & Guérin, Lunéville, together with additional letters or numbers either impressed in the ceramic body or painted in blue under the glaze, as visible in the photographs. Ceramics of this type are increasingly appreciated today both by collectors and by enthusiasts of historic tableware. Earthenware, a natural mineral material, gives these pieces a distinctive tactile presence and warmth that modern industrial tableware rarely achieves. Finding today such a large and coherent service with its original serving elements is increasingly uncommon on the antique market. Composition of the service * 41 dinner plates * 22 smaller plates (side / salad plates) * 11 soup plates * 3 deep plates for starters * 3 serving dishes (two oval and one round deep dish) * 1 covered tureen * 1 sauce boat with stand * 1 fruit stand * additional serving dishes as visible in the photographs Total: more than 80 pieces. . The pieces show normal signs of age such as light crazing of the glaze and minor traces of use, consistent with antique Lunéville earthenware. The tureen and the sauce boat present two small chips, visible in the photographs. These are easily restorable and do not affect the stability or display of the piece. Please consult the photographs for a detailed visual assessment. Remarks A highly decorative and historically significant service from one of the great French ceramic manufactories, ideal both for collectors and for refined table presentation. Due to the size and number of pieces, pick-up is recommended, as otherwise at least six boxes would be required to ensure safe shipping for 180 euros in Europe.