August the Sturdy, Prince Elector of Saxony, was intrigued. In 1701, he acquired a letter from a younger man named Johann Friedrich Böttger who was an alchemist and had been arrested in Wittenberg, a city outdoors August’s realm. Böttger claimed that he may flip base metals into gold. If there was one thing August liked greater than girls (rumor has it that he fathered about 300 illegitimate youngsters), it was gold.The art-loving ruler amassed heaps of treasure throughout his lifetime a few of which might nonetheless be seen within the Inexperienced Vault in Dresden. The temptation to have his personal gold-maker was irresistible: after a brief dispute with the Prussian king who additionally had his eye on Böttger, August discreetly moved Böttger to Dresden the place he was strictly guarded and in reality imprisoned so he wouldn’t flee and take his secret data about gold-making with him.This went on for years. Böttger did not make gold, at all times claiming that he was “nearly there”. In 1704, he was paired with Walther von Tschirnhaus, one other alchemist in August’s “custody” who had initially been on a seek for the “philosopher’s stone” on August’s request however had turned to experimenting with substances to make porcelain. Böttger by no means succeeded in making gold and Tschirnhaus by no means discovered the thinker’s stone. However collectively they developed the formulation find out how to make “white gold” – onerous paste porcelain.Tschirnhaus didn’t stay to the immense success of their invention. He died in 1708, 2 years earlier than the delighted August the Sturdy based the primary European porcelain manufacturing unit in Meissen in 1710. Böttger was lastly granted his freedom in 1714 below the situation that he wouldn’t depart the nation nor share the key about porcelain-making with anybody. Oh, and eventually, make gold… He handed away in 1719, being solely 37 years outdated. Porcelain turned the pleasure and a treasured export of Saxony, offering employment to many individuals and luring nice artists to Saxony to work within the trade.There may be a whole lot of confusion about “Meissen porcelain” and “Dresden porcelain” as they’re typically used interchangeably within the English-speaking nations. The error is comprehensible when you realize that Meissen and Dresden are solely about 16 miles aside. Meissen is the placement of the primary porcelain manufacturing unit based by August the Sturdy, however he resided in Dresden and his porcelain, characterised by the blue cross-swords stamp, was slightly related to this metropolis, because the a lot of it was offered right here.However in reality, “Meissen porcelain” and “Dresden porcelain” are 2 very various things. I do not imply to slight the good craftmanship and artwork of the Meissen porcelain. Its glorious repute around the globe is well-deserved and in spite of everything, it’s the oldest porcelain manufacturing unit in Europe. However you discover it in all places, new and outdated, handed down, auctioned off on eBay… Dresden porcelain then again, shouldn’t be that ubiquitous. You could find it on eBay, however it’s nonetheless one thing not everyone has, one thing for the porcelain connoisseur.So, what’s “Dresden porcelain”?Carl-Johann Thieme was a talented porcelain painter who owned a small porcelain and vintage retailer within the heart of Dresden. In 1872 he determined to comply with his greatest dream and produce his personal porcelain. He discovered an acceptable place for his enterprise within the industrial district Potschappel simply outdoors Dresden and the “Sächsische Porzellan-Fabrik Carl Thieme zu Potschappel” opened in September 1872.The manufacturing unit prospered from the start and this success was largely on account of porcelain modeler Carl August Kuntzsch who additionally occurred to be Thieme’s personal son in regulation. Kuntzsch created a floral décor that may develop into a novel trademark of Dresden porcelain and have become the manufacturing unit’s director after Thieme’s loss of life in 1912. The world wars affected the manufacturing unit fairly closely as exports caved in and precious employees left or have been killed within the wars, however the manufacturing unit survived solely to be expropriated step-by-step by the GDR authorities. Outdoors socialist East Germany, the attractive porcelain was fairly in style, and the 180 employees primarily produced items for export to West Germany and the remainder of Western Europe.Following the German re-unification, the Dresden porcelain manufacturing unit skilled turbulent occasions. From a “people-owned socialist” enterprise it went into the palms of a belief till it was purchased by French traders who went bankrupt not lengthy afterwards. It handed by means of the palms of a number of house owners till the Russian businessman Armenak S. Agababyan purchased it in 2008 and gave it the much-needed monetary stability to proceed the manufacturing. Regardless of some ups and downs, the manufacturing unit these days has once more a superb repute for its handmade and creative porcelain.Within the early days of founder Carl-Johann Thieme the principle designs mirrored kinds and shapes of the Baroque and Rococo period. These days, the popular design language ranges from Baroque to Classicism and into Biedermeier artwork. Floral designs, opulent portray and wealthy gold decor are logos and provides Dresden Porcelain such a chic and stylish contact. Dresden porcelain is a bit of Saxony similar to the long-lasting dome of the church of our girl in Dresden, the “Eierschecke” cake that the Saxons love a lot or the beautiful crags and stone pinnacles within the Elb Sandstone Mountains. It survived world wars, the socialist regime of East Germany, mismanagement and altering house owners. It’s onerous to consider that there’s such a turbulent historical past behind these serene and pleasant items of porcelain.