Porcelain, “white gold” was (re)discovered in Europe in 1708 by Johann Friedrich Böttger in Meißen. From 1701, this alchemist in captivity attempted to make from regular metal gold. This was orderd by the Imperial vicar of Saxony and King of Poland: Frederik August II. (“August der Starke”).
Under the guidance of the natural scientist Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus , he moved his search from gold to white gold. In July 1708, just before the death of Tschirnhaus, Böttger could offer the first European porcelain to August der Starke.
The imperial vicar and fanatical collector of white gold immediately commissioned the foundation of the first porcelain plant in Europe. Since then, Meissen porcelain has since been continuously produced.
Porcelain disease in Europe
From the 17th century, among others, the Dutch imported large quantities of ceramics from Asia to Europe. This refined, pure white, translucent pottery was a sensation among the rulingclases. However, the long journey from east to west made it very expensive. This Asian porcelain was literally worth its weight in gold. Hence the term “white gold”.
August der Starke had in his own words the “maladie de porcelaine“. This “disease” led to one of the largest porcelain collection in the world. August had to purchase the “Japanisches Palais” to house his “Ostasiatisches Porzellan“. This collection is still present in Dresden. Nowadays in the Zwinger museum on the other bank of the Elbe.
How did it go with Böttger?
After twelve years of imprisonment, August der Starke finally gave Böttger his freedom in 1714. Under the explicit condition that he should never leave Saxony. The secret should never be held by other European powers.
The discoverer of European porcelain could unfortunately enjoy little of this privilege. Due to the severe circumstances during his captivity and the poisonous substances with which he experimented, his health was greatly deteriorated.
At the age of thirty seven he died in Dresden in 1719. Almost five years after his imprisonment, about 25 kilometers from the porcelain plant in Meißen. A statue at the current location of the porcelain plant commemorate his quest.
Porcelain the new adventure
The death of Böttger led to the beginning of a new adventure. Spreading of this new technology was unstoppable. The secret of white gold went to France (Sèvres aprox. 1740) and England (approx. 1750). Slowly this technique became known throughout Europe and the rest of the Western world.
Today, porcelain may have lost its chemical secrets. But the magical appeal of white gold has remained. For me, this history is an exciting story. Also, the underlying technology is still challenging.
Reason enough for me to fire porcelain next to stoneware. The first results have already come out of my kiln. Currently not for sale. It needs time. In Europe, potters have produced porcelain 1000 years after the discovery in China. So I can take my time too…
Read More?
Below my paper sources, so you can dive deeper into white gold. All books are in German. Only the Edmund de Waal’s novel is in Englisch.
- Böttger: Vom Gold- zum Porzellanmacher
- Mythos Meissen: Das erste Porzellan in Europa
- Kleines ABC des Meissener Porzellans
- Die Porzellansammlung zu Dresden
- Kunst oder Kommerz?: Meissner Pozellan im 19. Jahrhundert
- Experiment und Produktion: Die Albrechtsburg als erste Porzellanmanufaktur Europas
- Porzellan-Museum der Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen
- Edmund de Waal, “The White Road”
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