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#Exhibit of the Month

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German porcelain is highly prized among antique collectors for its exceptional material quality, originality, and the meticulous craftsmanship of its decorative design.
The museum's collection preserves five figurines from one of the oldest porcelain manufactories in the Thuringia region of Germany - the statuary group known as *"The Musicians"*, crafted at the Volkstedt manufactory. These pieces entered the museum's holdings in 1991, acquired from a resident of Chișinău. With undeniable historical and artistic value, they bear the distinct imprint of the Rococo style.
The Volkstedt manufactory has a long-standing tradition in producing figurines, including those depicting musicians. In 1760, Georg Heinrich Macheleid - inventor of hard-paste porcelain in Thuringia - founded a production workshop in Zitzendorf, which was relocated to Volkstedt in 1762. Macheleid led the manufactory until 1764. Over time, the factory changed ownership and management multiple times. Under the direction of Christian Nonne, it flourished between 1767 and 1797, a period marked by significant artistic development. Volkstedt began creating figurines that would later gain international recognition.
It was during this flourishing period that the museum's porcelain statuettes, titled *"The Musicians"*, were produced. They depict five “putti”: four playing musical instruments (flute, mandolin, horn, and pipe), while the fifth conducts. Each figurine is entirely handcrafted - from modeling to painting - and delicately adorned with pastel tones and gilded details, capturing the playful movement and refined artistry of each musician. The base is made of mass-colored porcelain in a rare grey-green hue. The contrast between green, white, and gold accents lends the ensemble an unusually delicate appearance. These ornamental features are characteristic of the Rococo style, which emerged in France and is closely associated with the reign of King Louis XV.
The mark applied to the figurines consists of two crossed forks, clearly rendered in underglaze blue, with slightly blurred paint - a detail that helps date their production. Because the crossed forks often resembled the crossed swords of the Meissen trademark, the Volkstedt manufactory was compelled to change its mark starting in 1787. Initially represented by a single fork, the mark briefly returned to two forks before being replaced in 1800 by the graphic symbol "R", referencing the town of Rudolstadt. Therefore, the brief period during which the two-fork mark was reinstated - and during which the museum's figurines were likely produced - is estimated to be between 1787 and 1800.

The statuettes range in height from 10 to 18 cm and are preserved in relatively good condition.

These late 18th-century German porcelain pieces, now on display, are exceptionally rare. They stand as true works of art by German craftsmen and serve as important historical testimonies to the evolution of porcelain manufacturing in Germany.

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Exhibitions




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“Colors of Orthodoxy. Poland”  

March 14 - April 30, 2022
Although the dominant religion in Poland is Catholicism, adherents of the Orthodox and Greek Catholic Church have lived in Polish territory for centuries. Some of their traditions and rich heritage are presented in the exhibition "The Colors of Orthodoxy. Poland", which can be seen from March 14 to April 30, 2022 at the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chisinau...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Memory of an Undeclared War”  

March 1 – 31, 2022
The Dniester war begins to acquire its history, its heroes and its mistakes... Like any other war, it has many secrets, darkness, madness. At first glance, it may seem that passions flared up as if out of nowhere, imperceptibly, from an innocent law of the functioning of languages...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Origami – a Magical World...” 

December 20, 2021 – January 15, 2022
The Origami Moldova Association has been working under the patronage of the National Museum of History of Moldova for 15 years. Together we managed to organize for the general public several successful exhibitions and cultural and educational events aimed at popularizing the art of origami as a method of stimulating the creative potential of children...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Corruption in the Republic of Moldova. 30 years of struggle” 

December 9-19, 2021
On Thursday, December 9, 2021, at 12:00, on the International Anti-Corruption Day, "Ziarului de Gardă" organized a thematic exhibition at the National Museum of History of Moldova, entitled "Corruption in the Republic of Moldova. 30 years of struggle"...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Childhood in the Gulag” 

18 November – 18 December, 2021
The Exhibition "Childhood in the Gulag" presents photo-documentary images that reflect the lives of Bessarabian children sentenced to deportation, famine, Russification, indoctrination and the forced excision from their own families because of the repressive policies of the totalitarian-communist regime in the Moldavian SSR, 1940-1941 and 1944-1953. During the Stalinist deportations in 1941, 1949 and 1951 alone, from the Moldavian SSR, about 20.000 children were deported, most of them being affected by the second wave of deportations from 5-6 July 1949 (11.899 children). Some children died on the way to exile; others were born on the train of deportees...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
„World Press Photo 2021” 

November 10 - December 1, 2021
The World Press Photo 2021 Exhibition opened at the National Museum of History of Moldova: "The photos reflect the problems that cause strong emotions and leave no one indifferent".For the fifth year in a row, the Republic of Moldova hosts the international exhibition World Press Photo, organized by the World Press Photo Foundation in the Netherlands in partnership with the Center for Independent Journalism with the support of the Office of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chisinau...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Archaeological vestiges in the Budzhak steppe. Taraclia District” 

House of Culture of the Taraclia District

30.10.2021-31.01.2022
On Saturday, October 30, 2021, at 10:00 in the House of Culture of the Taraclia District, in the town of Taraclia, a temporary exhibition "Archaeological vestiges in the Budzhak steppe. Taraclia District" was opened (30.10.2021-31.01.2022).The concept of the exhibition was presented by Dr. habil. Eugen Sava (General Director of NMHM), Mr. Eugen Mistreanu (Researcher, NMHM), and Ms. Livia Sîrbu (museographer, researcher, NMHM). Mr. Ion Paslari (Chairman of the Taraclia District), Mr. Evgueni Stefanov Stoytchev (Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria in Chisinau) and archaeologist Sergei Agulnikov made speeches at the exhibition opening...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
„Jewish Presence in the History, Culture and Memory of the Republic of Moldova” 

October 12, 2021 – May 30, 2022
The exhibition "Jewish Presence in the History, Culture and Memory of the Republic of Moldova" exhibits the items of the Jewish cultural and historical heritage from the collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Goddesses and Warriors: 100 Years to Marija Gimbutas” 

Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejus

23.09.2021–13.03.2022
The exhibition Goddesses and Warriors opened in the House of Histories presents Marija Gimbutas (1921-1994), the most famous Lithuanian archaeologist in the world, as well as her scientific insights. Exhibition visitors learn about the two fundamental scholar's hypotheses on the development and identity of European culture, which earned her global recognition and gave rise to new academic as well as social movements.8,000 years ago, the first farmers started spreading in the south-eastern part of Europe having brought their knowledge, customs, co-existence principles, and domestic animals from the Middle East...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Lithuanian Tatars in Archive Documents” 

October 1-31, 2021
In commemoration of the 700th anniversary of the history and culture of the Tatars in Lithuania, 2021 was declared the Year of Lithuanian Tatar History and Culture. On this occasion, the exhibition "Lithuanian Tatars in Archival Documents" organized by the State Historical Archives of Lithuania invites you to take a look at the past to get acquainted with the development of the multinational Lithuanian culture...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Treasures of Krakow” 

September 3-30, 2021
Monuments of world significance, fascinating stories, the unforgettable atmosphere of the Main Square, as well as special modern architecture are the hallmarks of Krakow, one of the most beautiful cities in Poland. You can discover them by visiting the exhibition "Treasures of Krakow", presented on the fence of the National Museum of History of Moldova in Chisinau, until September 30, 2021...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Identity Symbols of the Republic of Moldova” 

Philatelic and numismatic exhibition dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the proclamation of the Independence of the Republic of Moldova

August 27 - September 30, 2021
The philatelic and numismatic exhibition "Identity Symbols of the Republic of Moldova" completed the cycle of actions "Moldova-30". During the exhibition, postage stamps of the SE "Post of Moldova" were presented, dedicated to these important dates and other events in the history of the Republic of Moldova...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“The 40th Anniversary of the Solidarity Revolution” 

August 2-25, 2021
On the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the founding of the Solidarity Polish trade union, which contributed to the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, Chisinau residents can watch an open-air exhibition on its history, in the city center, until August 25, 2021. Under the leadership of Solidarity, through peaceful means, the 1980 revolution led to the fall of communism in Poland in the summer of 1989. It also caused an avalanche that affected the entire so-called Eastern Bloc and ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall, and later with the end of Nicolae Ceaușescu's dictatorship in Romania...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Monuments of the Stolen Bessarabia” 

August 1-30, 2021
It is organized in the context of the declaration of 2021 by the Romanian Patriarchate "the year of commemoration of those deceased, the liturgical and cultural value of cemeteries, but also of the pastoral care for Romanians abroad".The exhibition was organized by the MONUMENTUM Association in partnership with the National Museum of History in Chisinau and includes 31 roll-ups depicting over 35 interwar monuments restored in 2009-2021 in Moldova...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“My ancient silverware, so artfully crafted...” 

June 29, 2021 - April 30, 2022
The exhibition entitled "My ancient silverware, so artfully crafted" is based on one of the diverse and extremely valuable collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova, that of secular and ecclesiastical jewelry. Exceptional preservation, functional palette and originality were the selection criteria for more than 500 objects that make up the exhibition...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Archaeological vestiges in the Budzhak Steppe. Taraclia District” 

June 24 - September 30, 2021
The National Museum of History of Moldova possesses a rich collection of archaeological remains, resulting from investigations conducted in Taraclia District from the 1970s-1980s up to this day.At present, on the territory of the district there are known about 220 archeological sites attested near 16 localities, out of the 26 ones that are part of this administrative unit. Among the sites listed in the Archaeological Register of the Republic of Moldova there is a linear fortification (Trajan's Wall), 30 multi-layered settlements, eight flat grave fields and 181 tumulus fields...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
“Prado Museum goes out in the street” 

July 1 - July 31, 2021
The Spanish Embassy in Bucharest in collaboration with Prado National Museum in Madrid and with the support of the National Museum of History of Moldova and the Honorary Consulate of Spain in Chisinau organizes the outdoor exhibition "Prado Museum goes out in the street"...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
„Mapping the Black Sea” (The Black Sea in the European Cartography) 

June 18-30 2021
The earliest cartographic evidence of the Black Sea coast in antiquity is the map of the Black Sea made on the leather covering a shield from 230-240 AD. It was discovered during archaeological excavations of the fortress of Dura Europos on the Euphrates River in Syria. It predates the so called Tabula Peutingeriana (4th c.), an itinerary or guide produced by Roman engineers...


National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

 



Independent Moldova
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic
Bessarabia and MASSR between the Two World Wars
Bessarabia and Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Period between the Two World Wars
Revival of National Movement
Time of Reforms and their Consequences
Abolition of Autonomy. Bessarabia – a New Tsarist Colony
Period of Relative Autonomy of Bessarabia within the Russian Empire
Phanariot Regime
Golden Age of the Romanian Culture
Struggle for Maintaining of Independence of Moldova
Formation of Independent Medieval State of Moldova
Era of the
Great Nomad Migrations
Early Middle Ages
Iron Age and Antiquity
Bronze Age
Aeneolithic Age
Neolithic Age
Palaeolithic Age
  
  

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#Exhibit of the Month

German porcelain is highly prized among antique collectors for its exceptional material quality, originality, and the meticulous craftsmanship of its decorative design...

Read More >>

































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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

 



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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

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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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC