Meissen

Meissen porcelain is the name given to the products of Europe's oldest porcelain manufactory. It was founded in 1710 by Elector August II in Dresden and moved to Albrechtsburg Castle near Meissen in the same year. The establishment of the factory was preceded in 1708 by the invention of European hard porcelain by J. F. Böttger and E. W. Graf von Tschirnhaus. The artistic blossoming and the development of the European porcelain style of the 18th century took place during the work of the painter J. G. Höroldt (since 1720) and the model master J. J. Kändler. Service and figurative works of high quality were produced. From 1740 the underglaze blue onion pattern was used, along with "German flowers", Watteau scenes, chinoiseries. In 1774 Count C. Marcolini took over the management of the manufactory; he introduced the pre-classical Louis-Seize style. - The factory, which has been run as the "Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen" since 1991, marks its products with the traditional blue Kurschwerter mark.