Gilded Bourdaloue

A bourdaloue or ladies travelling chamberpot. The interior, rim, base and handle are all in gilt. The body of the pot is green with gilt decoration in the French Empire style using Egyptian motifs. It took its more general name from a Jesuit father, one Louis Bourdaloue, whose long sermons, preached at Versailles, were extremely popular, especially with the ladies of the court who, in order to secure a seat, used to arrive hours before the scheduled time of the sermon.