From China to Europe – The Secret of Porcelain

Coffee cups with elegant curved lines, large tureens with floral decoration and gold, colourful figures – nothing expresses as clearly as porcelain the essence of rococo: delicacy, splendour, elegance and boldness all in inviting packaging. It is no wonder that Europeans of the 18th century put all their efforts into producing porcelain.

Porcelain was invented in China in the 1st millennium BC and was imported into Europe from the 14th century onwards, one route being the Silk Road. Collectors’ interest and fascination were instantaneously aroused, but the technique was not straightforward, and the Chinese guarded eagerly their secrets of manufacture.

In several places in Europe the attempt was made to make porcelain of varying kinds, but it was not until 1710 that a team led by the alchemist J.F. Böttger at Meissen, near Dresden in Germany, succeeded in producing a durable porcelain which could measure up to that of the Chinese. Henceforth, at the courts of Europe, European porcelain also became such a sought-after luxury, and was so expensive that it was referred to as, “the white gold”.

From Meissen the technique rapidly spread throughout Germany and to other European countries and a multitude of porcelain factories were established. From the end of the 18th century porcelain became cheaper and was produced in far greater quantities, finding its way into broader strata of society. Now it became a mass-produced commodity and commonplace in every home, as we know it today.

This year is the 300th anniversary of Meissen porcelain. To mark the occasion, and in cooperation with the Copenhagen Golden Days Festival, the Danish Museum of Art & Design is arranging a special exhibition presenting some of the best examples of porcelain from the factory’s early period, set against their source of inspiration – Chinese porcelain – and some of the subsequent wares from other European countries. The exhibition includes examples of the earliest attempts at white porcelain and evidence of how Meissen developed decoration in gold and colours and experimented with the production of figures. Initially there was a strong resemblance to the Chinese precursors in forms and motifs, later this was integrated in new ways and an independent design and distinctive Meissen style became clearly apparent.

Last updated 08.12.2010