#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.
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.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"War Up Close"

August 21 – November 20, 2024

The National Museum of History of Moldova is pleased to announce the opening of the virtual reality exhibition "War Up Close" on August 21, 2024, at 4:00 PM. This exhibition is organized in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation's Moldova Office.

"War Up Close" is a virtual reality exhibition aimed at showcasing the scale of the disaster caused by Russia's unjustified war on Ukraine. Through 360-degree panoramic photographs, drone images, and 3D modeling, the exhibition makes the nature of this war tangible, highlighting the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the suffering of millions of Ukrainians.

The exhibition immerses visitors in pre- and post-war images, offering a raw, unfiltered view of the human cost of Russia's aggression in Ukraine. It also provides visitors with the opportunity to "walk through" and virtually explore areas, viewing 360-degree images from fixed locations via viewing devices.

The project was initiated by experts from Ukraine's Discover.ua and FreegenGroup, who, despite the dangers, mapped the crimes against Ukraine for future generations to preserve the memory of this tragedy using experienced photojournalists and state-of-the-art technology.

Mykola Omelchenko, Ukraine's first Google Trusted Photographer, began photographing for "War Up Close" during a period when the Russian government denied responsibility for military strikes on non-military targets, such as residential areas and cultural centers, claiming instead that the Ukrainian government was falsifying or altering images of the destruction. Omelchenko wanted people to explore the images themselves, so they are presented without captions or commentary. "The essential goal of the project is to show the reality of war in a way that it can no longer be denied," stated Omelchenko.

The "War Up Close" project team works closely with Ukraine's Emergency Service, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Culture, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The panoramic views and drone images assist rescue teams in removing debris and assessing the true impact of the destruction. The team also specializes in 3D modeling of historical monuments and buildings.

The exhibition also includes a selection of war-time artifacts and links to 360-degree images that can be viewed without virtual reality equipment.

Since its launch in 2022, "War Up Close" has been presented in locations worldwide, including Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, and North America, attracting a significant number of visitors. For more information, visit https://war.city.

The exhibition "War Up Close" will be open from August 21 to November 20, 2024, in Hall No. 2 of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chișinău, 31 August 1989 Street, 121A.

#Exhibit of the Month

The Statuary Group “The Musicians”

"War Up Close"

August 21 – November 20, 2024

#Exhibit of the Month