18th Century [The Birth of European Porcelain: Meissen and the Porcelain Fever]

104536_8 — 2025-03-16 18:04:08 UTC

By the early 18th century, European craftsmen sought to replicate Chinese porcelain, leading to a major breakthrough in 1709 when German alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger, under the supervision of Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, discovered the secret of hard-paste porcelain in Meissen, Germany. This discovery, driven by Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony, who suffered from a self-described "porcelain fever," resulted in the establishment of Europe's first porcelain factory in 1710—the Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon Porcelain Manufactory—housed in the Albrechtsburg in Meissen. August's obsession stemmed from the broader European aristocracy’s craze for porcelain, an exotic luxury that could only be imported from Asia using gold and silver, straining European economies. In pursuit of an alternative, Augustus initially tasked alchemists with turning base metals into gold before shifting focus to porcelain production. Böttger, collaborating with mining officer Gottfried Pabst von Ohain and Freiberg’s miners, systematically experimented with Saxon clays, leading to the 1707 production of red Jaspis porcelain, which revealed the process for making white porcelain by substituting red clay with white kaolin. The first European white porcelain was successfully fired on January 15, 1708, fulfilling Augustus the Strong’s ambition. Though initially safeguarded, the arcanum of porcelain-making soon spread, inspiring the rise of renowned European manufactories. To distinguish its exceptional quality and ensure authenticity, Meissen introduced the Crossed Swords trademark in 1722, making it one of the oldest continuously used trademarks in the world.

Works Cited

Meissen. “Home Page En.” Www.meissen.com, www.meissen.com/en/geschichte.

Meissen Blue Onion Pattern Bourdaloue Timeline by Soyul

18th Century [The Birth of European Porcelain: Meissen and the Porcelain Fever]