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.
• Nicolae Răileanu, Din istoria Muzeelor Moldovei. Muzeul de Antichități al Nataliei Sicard din Vadul lui Vodă • Grigore Jitaru, Blazoanele dinastice și stema de stat a Moldovei • Vlad D. Ghimpu, Biserica Adormirii Maicii Domnului de la mănăstirea Căpriana • Vasile Negruță, Dan Suruceanu, Creația Zugravului Gherasim șl sculptorului D. Ştefan la răscrucea secolelor XVIII-XIX • Vasile Haheu, Cetățile traco-geto-daclce și elemente de urbanizare la tracii de nord • Alexandru Levinschi, Atelierele de ceramică de la Soloncenl și unele probleme privind olăritul la purtătorii culturii Sântana da Mureș-Cerneahov
II. Arheologie și Istorie veche
• Ilie Borziac, Philip Allsworth, Nicolae Chetraru, Cercetări interdisciplinare în grotele paleolitice din Nord-Vestul Moldovei • Serghei Covalenco, Nicolae Chetraru, Așezarea mezolltlcâ de la Sărăteni • Oleg Levițki, Tatiana Demcenco, Tumuli din epoca fierului timpuriu de lângă satul Cotiujeni • Serghei Agulnlcov, Cociulia - Cetățuie în codrii Tighecilor • Natalia Mateevici, Piese arheologice provenite din colecția lui Ion Surucean • Ilie Borziac, Alexei Zagaievschi, Cele mai vechi file din istoria satului Cosăuți
III. Istorie medievală
• Ion Hâncu, Rezultatele cercetărilor arheologice de la biserica cu pronaosul lărgit din Orheiul Vechi • Pavel Bârnea, Despre soarta istorică a Orheiului Vechi • Petre Beșliu, Contribuția universității săsești la consolidarea sistemului de fortificații din defileul Oltului • Ana Boldureanu, Vera Paiul, Tezaurul monetar de la Gârbova • Mihai Onilă, Eparhia Chișinăului și Hotinului (180 ani de la organizare)
IV . Istorie modernă și contemporană
• Măria Hasnaș, Cazimireștii în Basarabia. Ramura din Hotin • Aurelia Cornețchi, Contribuții ta istoria Liceului de fete din Cetatea Albă • Тамара Синхани, Из истории иконописания в Ново-Нямецком монастыре • Ирина Гончарова, Сканные сумочки • Liubovi Malahov, Colecția presei periodice din sec. XIX – începutul sec. XX • Vitalie Juc, Valentin Tomuleț, Schiță din istoria satului Tabani • Tamara Stamatov, Tehnici vechi românești de cusut în ornamentarea cămașelor femeiești • Elvira Vacula, Societatea Națională de Cruce Roșie din Basarabia. Anii 1920-1930 • Nadejda Lavric, Din istoria documentelor puse în circulație în Basarabia interbelică • Elena Postică, Deputații Sfatului Ţării represați în anul 1940 • Людмила Пасиковская, О раскулачивании и выселении в MACCP в 1930-1931
V. Muzeologie si memorialistică
• Elena Ploșnița, Unele aspecte din activitatea muzeografică a lui Nicolae Iorga • Eugenia Borodac, Nicolae Dimo - savant cu renume în pedologie • Любовь Репринцева, Судьба ученого Г.И. Пысларь • Мария Евдокимова, Михаил Паутынский – ученый винодел и химик
VI. Recenzii
• Tudor Arnăut, Arheologul G.D. Smirnov și unele probleme de concepție privind mil. I î.e.n. • Igor Cereteu, Sergiu Tabuncic. Şoldăneșii - localitate străveche din valea Ciornei • Николай Тельнов, Nicolae Chetraru. Din istoria arheologiei Moldovei. Basarabia și Transnistria
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...
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
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.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
