coration on a bit of china that pleased her fancy. Professional
artists also lent their aid, their designs ranging from the
shepherdesses of Watteau to copies of Chinese and Japanese
scenes. Flowers, cupids, garlands, landscapes--never was such a
diversity of decoration attempted as during the reigns of Louis XIV
and XV. As a result the output became very overdone and
ornate. Fortunately for art, Louis XVI had better taste. Instead of
continuing this garish type of design he procured a collection of
Greek vases to serve as models for his workmen, and as a result the
product came back to a more classic and less florid style."

Mr. Croyden paused.

"With all this beauty in the body of the porcelain itself, and all
the wonder of the modeling and painting, you must remember that
throughout the period the chemists employed were making great strides
in the use of pigments. No little science was necessary to find colors
that would stand the intense heat necessary for firing this hard
paste. You know of course that most of the mineral pigments used to
decorate china do not look at all the same after they have been
subjected to a high temperature as they look before. Many colors which
fire out to exquisite tones look quite ugly when applied to the
biscuit clay. Both chemists and artists have to be skilled in the
knowledge of how these paints will react under heat. So when I say the
Sevres workers reached a richness and harmony of color never before
known in china-making you can imagine how much patient experimental
labor probably preceded this triumph of art."

Theo's eyes had not left the story-teller's face for an instant.

"It was not as if the painters used only a touch of color here and
there," continued Mr. Croyden. "Much of the ware was designed with a
solid color that covered the body, small spaces being reserved for
medallions in which there were heads or landscapes. The gilding, too,
was very heavy, and sometimes in combination with it imitation gems
were used. At the present time a color known as Rose du Barry brings
the highest price in old Sevres. Other famous colors in which the
French china-makers excelled were Bleu Roi, which was made from
cobalt----"

"King's blue," murmured Theo.

"Bleu Celeste, a turquoise blue made from copper----"

"Sky blue!" put in Theo.

"There was also a rare canary yellow; an apple green; a fine tone of
violet; and a bright red that had not been seen before in the china
world