Meissen Porcelain – 300 years of German Porcelain

Celebrating the Tri-centenary of Porcelain Production in Germany:

Meissen Porcelain Marks - Photo courtesy of GNTB

Until the early 18th century, the Chinese were the only porcelain producers and all the exotic porcelain in Europe were imported from the Far East.

The secret of porcelain production was closely guarded by the Chinese, until 1707 when Johann F. Bottger and Ehrenfried W. von Tschimhaus cracked the secret and managed to create a formula for porcelain production. A factory was set up in Meissen and soon its porcelain products were exported to the the whole of the European continent.

2010 is the tri-centenary of porcelain production in Germany and the subsequent founding of the Meissen manufactory. Manufacturers and museums throughout Germany are celebrating the occasion with an array of exhibitions and events throughout the year.  So if you’re keen on Meissen figurines, porcelain tableware or learning more about German porcelain, Meissen is the place to be in 2010.

From Porcelain Zoo to Real-life Procession of Dukes

300 years of the Meissen State porcelain manufacturing is being celebrated in Meissen town with a year-long programme packed with exhibitions and events. The main attraction is the year-round exhibition titled “All Nations are Welcome”. Its display of exquisite Meissen pieces offers an insight on how cultures and changing trends have influenced three centuries of porcelain production.

What’s on in Meissen and its Surrounds

Other exhibitions in Meissen in 2010 include:

• the Meissen Porcelain Zoo with animal sculptures from 300 years of porcelain design, and
• the Meissen Jewellery Collection 2010, which showcases limited-edition jewellery for the tricentennial year.

Some porcelain-themed highlights that visitors can look forward to include:

• The local history museum has an exhibition of its own, exploring Meissen porcelain history and its citizens’ role as porcelain makers (March 20 to November 7, 2010).


Meissen Porcelain - Photo courtesy of GNTB

• Perched high above Meissen town is Albrechtsburg Castle whose exhibition offers an interesting insight into the first 150 years of porcelain production within the castle walls (May 8 to October 31, 2010).
• The formative decades of the world-famous Meissen Manufactory are also the focus of the “Triumph of the Blue Swords” exhibition in Dresden’s Japanese Palace, just 20 kilometres from Meissen.  Open-days at the Meissen Manufactory (24 April & 23 October 2010).
• The Night of Art, Culture and Architecture (June 19, 2010).

During the Meissen Wine Festival on 26 September 2010,  , there will be a grand festival parade with a real-life Procession of Dukes (the name of a famous frieze of Meissen tiles). Nearly 100 people, 45 of them on horseback, are set to appear in historical costume.

Meissen is about 25 km northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Apart from its porcelain, Meissen is the home of the Albrechtsburg Castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche.

For Information contact:

Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen
GmbH
Talstrasse 9
01662 Meissen
Tel.: +49 (0)3521 4680
Fax: +49 (0)3521 468 800
www.meissen.com

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