#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

„One century of Riga’s history: from 1914 until 2014”

Organized by the Embassy of Latvia in the Republic of Moldova at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia

October 5th-20th, 2016

The goal of the exhibition is, alongside important events in Europe, to reflect the events of the same time period in Riga; by means of various pictures and their combinations, to touch upon the themes of war and freedom as well as the outstanding personalities of the time, with the aim of showing the various, open, and multi-faceted Riga. The exhibition is formed and reflected by juxtapositions of various tendencies; fashion, architecture, design, music and other spheres and events of culture.

Motto of the exhibition: "The Phoenix of Riga"
Riga is similar to the Phoenix in Ancient Greek mythology - the bird that after burning has always been able to resurrect from ashes. Over one century, Riga has seen seven changes of the ruling power:
- Tsarist Russia;
- the German Kaiser;
- "red" Soviet Latvia and "white" Republic of Latvia;
- USSR occupation and Nazi Third Reich;
- Soviet occupation again
- up to the restoration of an independent Republic of Latvia.

Riga saw the evacuation of its factories in 1915, which diminished its population by a half; it saw the attacks of the Bermondt army, which left the quay of the river Daugava in ruins. The agrarian reform in the 1920s gave the city land property and made it possible to dream about the construction of an enlarged city with one million inhabitants. The devastation of Old Riga in 1941 was followed by restoration after the war, the city expanded into the former pastures and kitchen gardens, building new residential areas. The present-day Riga is proud of its cultural heritage.

The exhibition shows the impact of a series of events, which have taken place in Europe of the 20th century, over the history of Latvians, the impact that has resulted in the loss of independence of the Republic of Latvia. The major events - the wars and revolutions - are illustrated by panels with black-and-white and red fragments of historical photographs. The removal of ruins and the new construction to start everything from scratch is illustrated by the history of two nodal points - the City Hall Square and the Citadel. City scenes will be supplemented with information on everyday life: how the ordinary Rigan lived, what he ate, how he worked and recreated himself...

The pictures will show the flourishing Riga after World War I, the burning Riga in 1941, Soviet Riga, the Barricade Time and the 20 years of restored independence. We will stress Riga's ability to always resurrect as the Phoenix from ashes.