The reason behind it all
People all over Europe couldn’t wait to get their hands on this “white gold”! Augustus the Strong was even willing to pay the price of hundreds of soldiers to obtain porcelain from China – whereas today porcelain items can be purchased for just a few pence. Once the preserve of kings and princes, porcelain to suit all tastes and requirements is nowadays within reach of everyone.
Yet the fascination still remains: 300 years after hard porcelain was first reproduced in Europe, it still symbolises luxury and a certain quality of life. In more recent years, it has also become synonymous with modern art, technology and medicine, and with the design of an environmentally friendly, globalised world. Porcelain has become a true all-rounder! The exhibition “From a King’s Dream to Mass Production” celebrates porcelain, that most versatile of materials, and tells the story of 300 years of turbulent European history.







