Porcelain “white gold” has a long and fascinating history. The origin of this refined ceramic is in China. But it is not entirely clear when the first ‘real’ Porcelain has been discovered.
According to which definition you chooce, it is assumed that this white and translucent ceramic material, porcelain as we now know it, was produced from about 700. Chinese potters in that period had kilns that could reach the high temperature of about 1300° C (2370° F) needed to fire porclain. In addition, the right raw materials were also available.
As early as the 13th century this kind of ceramics has been coming to Europe, with other commercial goods from the East. From about the 16th century porcelain was imported on a large scale. The demand for these spectacular new ceramics had grown. This led to a “rat race” across Europe to unravel the secret. At the beginning of the 18th century this European competition was finally settled in Meißen. In my previous blog I wrote about this.
This summer we also wanted to discover the birthplace of European porcelain. Fortunately, the white gold can be found between green, along the beautiful Elbe cycle route (Elberadweg). A great opportunity for a new exploration trip on bike.
Meissen or Meißen
On my endless quests for special glazes, I have recently experimented with copper red reduction glazes. This glaze is beautiful on stoneware but is brighter red when it is applied to the most white clay that exists: porcelain.
Of course I had to try that too. The technical aspects of porcelain were theoretically familiar to me, but practice is always barbarous. Enough space to learn new skills.
I have never been a great lover of delicate ceramics, so I had a lot of catching up to do in this area. The best place in Europe to see porcelain up close is of course Meißen. There you can visit the porcelain plant with the same name. Also worth a visit is the “alt stadt” of this historic place. Not only did I smell the alchemy of Böttger, but the latte macchiato “mit kuchen” tasted great.
Meissen porcelain has been produced for more then 300 years. The brand is written with double “s” instead of “ß” like the city “Meißen”. Indeed, in 1710, they understood that for bloggers outside Germany, the “sharp S” is hard to type. That makes good commercial sense (my first learning point on this study trip).
Copper red on white gold
The “Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen GmbH “, as the factory is officially called today, is openend daily. A visit is definitely worth the effort. In addition to a tour and the outlet, you can view a selection of the historical collection. Even the work of contemporary artists can be seen. Also there is an excellent café-restaurant. That’s something the museum “Cité de la céramique” in Sèvres can learn from.
The collection is not very big, but there is plenty to see. In addition to animal plastics and human figures, there are also plates, bowls, vases and cups. The decoration is generally more important than the shape. I discovered a copper red vase. So the ceramists of the the porcelain factory had been looking for this also. The production process of this glaze had probably proven to be unreliable, so it never made it to (mass) production.
Albrechtsburg porcelain history
The Albrechtsburg has been a land mark for Meißen since 1500. In this castle, Tschirnhaus and Böttger performed their porcelain experiments. As “porcelain pilgrims” we climbed the same stairs that the imprisoned Böttger must have walked. From 1710 to 1863 the porcelain factory was also located in this stronghold.
After the factory was moved to its current location, the fortress was restored. This restoration of 1870 was partly funded by French repayments after the French-German War. The murals therefore served mainly for the glorification of Saxon history.
Despite this notorious past, it is nowadays an exceptionally beautiful historical place. Today, the castle serves as a museum and tourist attraction. There is even a glass lift for those who can not climb the mountain. Had Böttger been able to take it, maybe he would not have died so young .
Historic city
Meißen is more than just an historical city where you can smell the white gold, it is historic. But my pilgrimage was not over yet. Dresden is after all a nice (bike) distance away.
Dresden: Florence on the Elbe. The art and culture center of the 18th century. Of course I had to expand my ceramic research there.
(to be continued)
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