Our Patron

In 1710 Europe’s first porcelain manufactory began its work. 300 years of European porcelain – three centuries of supreme technical ability and exceptional skill, of finest tableware and exquisite elegance. Yet these have also been three centuries of economic success and innovation in design and technology. For porcelain not only occupies a permanent place on our tables and in our china cabinets; it has also firmly established itself as a material with unique properties in many technical applications. The anniversary provides us with a good opportunity to look back on the history of this noble and versatile material. Porcelain began life as “white gold”, as a luxury product for courtly ostentation; it gradually conquered middle-class kitchens and living rooms, and is today an indispensable part of our everyday world. So the history of porcelain is not merely a story of art and craft, but an informative piece of economic and social history. The exhibition provides a multifaceted picture reflecting associations and interactions that go far beyond porcelain itself. I am delighted at this initiative taken by Porzellanikon in Selb and Hohenberg a.d. Eger. The exhibition will make the history of European porcelain accessible to a wide audience at two traditional locations in Upper Franconia, with selected pieces from major art collections in Europe and the USA providing special highlights. My thanks go to the organisers and to the contributors. I am sure the exhibition will be one of the cultural highlights of 2010 in the Free State of Bavaria.

Horst Seehofer
Minister President of Bavaria