#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

"Ovi D. Pop: My Romania"

December 1-15, 2023

Between December 1-15, the National Museum of History of Moldova has the honor of hosting the exhibition of the Romanian photographer Ovi D. Pop, entitled "My Romania".

Born in Oradea on April 9, 1973, Ovi D. Pop is a photographer with over 20 years of experience and who prefers several genres of photographic art: portrait, nude, aerial and monuments. He is the director of the Oradea "Duran's" Publishing House under whose care he published 7 illustrated monographs of Bihor county, works containing over 1,500 photographs of the most representative locations in the county, respectively 6 editions of the Bihor County Tourist Guide, 3 editions of the Oradea album mine, an edition of the Comitatus Bihoriensis album, an edition of the Nude in the City album and many other views and paperbacks reflect his work.

Since 2013, he also focused on artistic photography, managing to meet the criteria for obtaining national and international awards - MAFR (Master of the Romanian Association of Photographic Artists), E.FIAP/g (Excellence de Fédération Internationale de l'Art Photographique) with the rank of gold and MPSA (Master of the Photographic Society of America).

His photos have won over 2,300 awards, of which 640 gold medals/1st place/Trophies in 91 countries. Several personal exhibitions were organized from his photographs in: Oradea, Bucharest (Senate of Romania), Carei, Cluj Napoca, Dărăbani, Valea lui Mihai, Hajduszoboszló, Gyula, Brussels x3, Cernăuţi, Uzhorod, Ljubljana, Singapore and Pingyao, respectively many group exhibitions in: Cluj Napoca, Bucharest, Szeged, Budapest, Bratislava, Kosice, Monteviarchi, Chernivtsi, Uzhorod (UA), Chisinau, Kolkatta, Shenzen, Kunming and in Macau. Ovi D. Pop has judged in International Salons in Romania, Croatia, India, Italy, Australia, China, Georgia, Serbia, Thailand, Hungary, Singapore, Malaysia and Ukraine.

All this, however, the photographer does not quantify in years, but in achievements and in the richness of the moments he managed to capture with the help of light and shadows. The camera is the channel through which he manages to reproduce what he sees with his eyes and soul.

The opening of the photo exhibition "Ovi D. Pop: My Romania" will take place on December 1, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., and can be visited between December 1-15, 2023, at the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chisinau, 31 August 1989 street, 121A.

#Exhibit of the Month

MEISSEN Tea Set

"Ovi D. Pop: My Romania"

December 1-15, 2023

#Exhibit of the Month