#Exhibit of the Month

Porcelain is a material that has sparked great interest throughout history, and its production has been a true challenge. Also known as "white gold," porcelain is a white, translucent ceramic material obtained by firing a paste of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar, along with other additives, at high temperatures. It was first discovered and used in China. The first Chinese porcelain objects arrived in Europe in the 13th century, but a broader spread of Chinese porcelain on the European continent is recorded in the 17th century. The technology for producing porcelain was kept a secret by the Chinese for a very long time.

The first hard-paste porcelain manufactory in Europe, located in the city of Meissen, was established in 1710 due to discoveries in porcelain production made by Saxon mathematician and physicist Ehrenfried Walter von Tschirnhaus (1661-1708), which were put into practice by the royal court alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682-1718). He invented the glaze and achieved the complete fusion of the shard and the glaze. The Meissen factory, still operational today, has created and continues to create a vast range of porcelain products. Crafted by the finest artists, sculptors, and engravers, who use unique hand-painted colors and exclusive designs, Meissen products are of exceptional quality and elegance, enjoying worldwide fame.

The tea set, partially consisting of seven pieces (teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, and two cups with saucers), displayed in this showcase, is a product of the famous Meissen factory in the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany. It was crafted in the first half of the 19th century from high-quality porcelain. The exhibit became part of the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova through a transfer from the "G. Cotovschi" Memorial House in Hâncești, which was closed in 1989-1990.

The decoration of these pieces is remarkable, featuring hand-painted "German flowers," one of the well-known styles of floral and plant decoration practiced by Meissen craftsmen since the 18th century. They were influenced by Chinese porcelain, which was often adorned with images of flowers and fruits. A distinctive feature of this decorative style was the "scattered flowers" arrangement, where floral elements were placed as individual blossoms or bouquets across the surface of porcelain objects.

The marking on the underside of the pieces consists of two crossed swords, elements borrowed from the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Saxony, applied by hand with cobalt paint under the glaze. With slight variations in the representation of the swords, this mark has been used since 1722 and continues to the present day. The mark on this tea set is characterized by prominent dots on the crossed swords, a feature used at the Meissen factory between 1815 and 1860.

The polychrome floral painting, gilding, and the application of a rosebud on the lids of the teapot and sugar bowl lend a sublime delicacy to these pieces, making them rare and exquisite.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"Borders"

Media exhibition by multimedia artist Valeria Barbas

April 26 – May 10, 2023

On April 26, at 15:00, in the premises of the National Museum of History of Moldova, will take place the opening of the mixed media exhibition "Frontiers" by the multimedia artist Dr. Valeria Barbas. The exhibition symbolically marks April 27 - Tricolor Day, and represents an unprecedented collaboration with the Museum and Archive of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.

Within the " Borders " exhibition, various artistic mediums are represented - 10 paintings from the series created by the artist Valeria Barbas over two decades (2003-2023) with reference to various socio-political events of reference, audio-video installations and for the first time are presented objects saved from the fire of April 7, 2009.

The "Borders" exhibition project reveals a retrospective of the crucial events that marked and shook the Republic of Moldova during the thirty years of independence, with April 7, 2009 as the axis of reference. The exhibition presents for the first time a collaboration between various media historical and contemporary art. This correspondence finds its expression in the concept of borders, viewed from various perspectives, whether geographical, historical, or of an internal nature, of mentality. The exhibition project includes 10 canvases-chronicles, the first being dated from 2003, audio-video installations with reference to the 30 years of independence, objects and documents saved from the fire of April 7, 2009.

During the events of April 7, 2009, a significant part of the collection of documents in the Parliament Archive was burned. Around 3000 files containing information from 1946-2009 were destroyed. These are transcripts of plenary sessions of the Parliament, collections of adopted acts, decisions of the Permanent Bureau, minutes of committee meetings, provisions of the Parliament's leadership, documents regarding the activity of parliamentary fractions, personal files of deputies and employees of the Parliament Secretariat.

Among the salvaged items is a flag. We remind you that for the first time the Tricolor Day was designated on April 27, 1990. Those who will cross the threshold at the National History Museum of Moldova will have the opportunity to see for the first time various objects and documents recovered from the building after the events of that time.

The exhibition "Borders" can be visited between April 26 and May 10, 2023, at the National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 street, 121A.