porcelain

After centuries of imitating imported Asian porcelains in other materials, J.F. Böttger, an alchemist working at the Dresden court of Augustus the Strong, became the first European to make this highly coveted 'white gold'. Capitalising on this discovery, Augustus founded the Meissen factory, where 'hard-paste' porcelain of the Chinese type was made from 1713. Although Meissen made enormous efforts to protect its secrets, industrial spies and defecting workmen took their knowledge of the formulas and processes to Vienna and Venice, laying the foundations for a European-wide hard-paste porcelain industry.

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The experimental years

Before it was able to produce white porcelain, for a few years the Meissen factory made a brown stoneware inspired by Chinese redwares. Known today as 'Böttger stoneware', the basic material could be lapidary-polished, painted in imitation of lacquer or left undecorated. Shapes for Böttger stoneware and the early undecorated porcelains were copied from Asian ceramics or designed by the Dresden court silversmith, J.J. Irminger.

Teapot, Meissen porcelain factory, about 1715. Böttger red stoneware, moulded and partly polished on the wheel. Museum no. 108&A-1940

Pilgrim bottle and stopper, Meissen porcelain factory, 1710-1715. Wheel polished Böttger red stoneware. Museum no. C.273

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Enamelling

Once porcelain production had been achieved, the Meissen factory was faced with a further challenge: to master the enamelling technique necessary to decorate the wares. Initially this work was contracted to the Dresden enameller, J.G. Funke. However, in 1720, J.G. Höroldt was recruited from the rival Vienna factory. Under his direction, the processes were mastered and a distinctive style of enamelling introduced.

Bottle and stopper, Meissen, Germany, about 1720. Porcelain with enamelled and gilded decoration, possibly by Georg Funcke. Museum no. c.22-1956. J. Tulk Bequest

Tea bowl, Meissen porcelain factory, 1723-1725. Porcelain painted in enamels and gold, possibly by J.G. Höroldt. Museum no. C.119-1940

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Independent enamellers

The high cost of Meissen's enamelled wares encouraged small decorating workshops to buy plain white Meissen porcelain and enamel or gild it for resale. Such independent enamellers were known by the German term hausmaler ('house painter'). They often decorated a range of materials, including Meissen and Asian porcelain, tin-glazed earthenware and glass.

Saucer, Meissen porcelain factory, 1720-1730. Museum no. C.218A-1938. The decoration on this Meissen saucer was painted by an unknown independent decorator or 'hausmaler' who would have bought it directly from the factory in its plain white glazed state.

Teapot, Meissen porcelain factory, 1720-1730. Museum no. C.75&A-1939. This teapot was made by the Meissen factory but decorated in the distinctive style of Ignaz Preissler, probably the best known of all the independent enamellers (hausmaler) of Meissen porcelain.

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Meissen's secrets revealed

Industrial spies and departing workmen took Meissen's manufacturing secrets to Vienna and Venice, where the Du Paquier and Vezzi factories were founded in 1718 and 1720 respectively. Craftsmen from Vienna then went on to work at the Doccia factory near Florence. A workman who defected from Vienna in 1747 eventually spread knowledge of Meissen's formula all over Germany.

Wine cooler, Vienna, Austria, about 1740. Museum no.

 C.180-1938.

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Victoria and Albert Museum

Beaker and saucer, Doccia porcelain factory, Florence, Italy. Museum no. C.12A-1941. Possibly enamelled by Karl Wendelin Anreiter.