Porcelain is a material that has sparked great interest throughout history, and its production has been a true challenge. Also known as "white gold," porcelain is a white, translucent ceramic material obtained by firing a paste of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar, along with other additives, at high temperatures. It was first discovered and used in China. The first Chinese porcelain objects arrived in Europe in the 13th century, but a broader spread of Chinese porcelain on the European continent is recorded in the 17th century. The technology for producing porcelain was kept a secret by the Chinese for a very long time.
The first hard-paste porcelain manufactory in Europe, located in the city of Meissen, was established in 1710 due to discoveries in porcelain production made by Saxon mathematician and physicist Ehrenfried Walter von Tschirnhaus (1661-1708), which were put into practice by the royal court alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682-1718). He invented the glaze and achieved the complete fusion of the shard and the glaze. The Meissen factory, still operational today, has created and continues to create a vast range of porcelain products. Crafted by the finest artists, sculptors, and engravers, who use unique hand-painted colors and exclusive designs, Meissen products are of exceptional quality and elegance, enjoying worldwide fame.
The tea set, partially consisting of seven pieces (teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, and two cups with saucers), displayed in this showcase, is a product of the famous Meissen factory in the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany. It was crafted in the first half of the 19th century from high-quality porcelain. The exhibit became part of the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova through a transfer from the "G. Cotovschi" Memorial House in Hâncești, which was closed in 1989-1990.
The decoration of these pieces is remarkable, featuring hand-painted "German flowers," one of the well-known styles of floral and plant decoration practiced by Meissen craftsmen since the 18th century. They were influenced by Chinese porcelain, which was often adorned with images of flowers and fruits. A distinctive feature of this decorative style was the "scattered flowers" arrangement, where floral elements were placed as individual blossoms or bouquets across the surface of porcelain objects.
The marking on the underside of the pieces consists of two crossed swords, elements borrowed from the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Saxony, applied by hand with cobalt paint under the glaze. With slight variations in the representation of the swords, this mark has been used since 1722 and continues to the present day. The mark on this tea set is characterized by prominent dots on the crossed swords, a feature used at the Meissen factory between 1815 and 1860.
The polychrome floral painting, gilding, and the application of a rosebud on the lids of the teapot and sugar bowl lend a sublime delicacy to these pieces, making them rare and exquisite.
Portrait of Maria (Lupu) Radziwill in the works of the Polish painter Korneli Szlegiel (1851)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. X [XXV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Keywords: Polish painter Korneli Szlegiel, Maria (Lupu) Radziwill, frescoes of the Three Holy Hierarchs Church, historical and cultural heritage.
Abstract: This article is an attempt to critically review the visual documentation regarding the Vasile Lupu time that are of great interest for the Romanian and Polish historiography. We tried to compare some fragments from the life of Maria (Lupu) Radziwill with her preserved visual images. The groundwork of this scientific approach are illustrated sources of the epoch, in particular the frescoes in the Three Holy Hierarchs Church of Iași, which have been renovated during 1880s, and the portrait created by Szlegiel in 1851 that preserved the original images of the church frescoes before their renovation. Our study substantiates the authenticity and singularity of the Korneli Slegiel's portrait depicting the royal family of Vasile Lupu for the reason that it preserves the original appearance of the 17th century frescoes. Unknown drawing made by Korneli Szlegiel was discovered in the Warsaw National Mseum (Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie) in 2015. The images were exposed to interdisciplinary research, being examined from a purely artistic perspective as well as a cultural and historical point of view. The data of this study might be the basis of a subsequent reliable restoration of frescoes of the Three Holy Hierarchs Church.
List of illustrations: Fig. 1. Three Holy Hierarchs Church of Iași in 1845 (J. Rey). Fig. 2. Iași press chronicle on the activity of the painter Korneli Szlegiel in Iași (1851). Fig. 3. Portrait of Vasile Lupu's family in the Three Holy Hierarchs Church of Iași, by Korneli Szlegiel, 1851 (The National Museum of Warsaw). Fig. 4. Vasile Lupu's family, the votive portrait in the Three Holy Hierarchs Church. Fragments of frescoes recovered in 1888 and preserved in the Museum of the Three Holy Hierarchs Church, the Gothic Room. Fig. 5. The image of Princess Maria Lupu (Radziwill) on a fresco of the Three Holy Hierarchs Church. Fig. 6. Portrait of Tudosca and Maria Lupu (Radziwill) on a fresco of the Three Holy Hierarchs Church recovered in 1888. Fig. 7. Portraits of Tudosca, Maria and Ruxandra from the Three Holy Hierarchs Church, reproduced by Korneli Szlegiel in 1851. Fig. 8. Portrait of Catherine the Circassian in the Golia Church. Fig. 9. Embroidered portrait of Tudosca (17th century) from the Museum of the Three Holy Hierarchs Church. Fig. 10. Votive portrait from the Three Holy Hierarchs Church painted in 1884.
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Mysteries, myths and realities regarding the testament of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2015
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Marriage institution during middle ages: obstacles and prohibitions. Exploration of historical anthropology and comparative studies
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Nicolae Fuştei, Mitropolitul Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni 1746-1821: activităţi culturale şi ecleziastice. Chişinău: Biblioteca ştiinţifică (Institut) „Andrei Lupan”, 2021, 464 p. ISBN 978-9975-62-452-7
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVI [XXXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
The strength and weakness of Alexandra Osipovna Smirnova-Rosset (on the history of the origins of one of the women of the Pushkin era)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XII [XXVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Women and power in the history of the Asan dynasty
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Porcelain is a material that has sparked great interest throughout history, and its production has been a true challenge. Also known as "white gold," porcelain is a white, translucent ceramic material obtained by firing a paste of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar, along with other additives, at high temperatures...
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.
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.
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.