Page 16 - For the Love of Porcelain

but also highlighted one of the pioneering
German scholars in the field of East Asian
ceramics at the time, Ernst Zimmermann
(director of the Porzellansammlung from
1912 to 1933). One such object, a large vase
(fig. 5) with the main decoration of snakelike
dragons with five claws amongst clouds and
over waves, belongs to the imperial ware
specifically produced for the court of the
Qianlong emperor (1735–95).

Even if such an elaborate object was not
available in Europe in the eighteenth century,
we know from several historical inventory
entries that Augustus the Strong and his
inventory scribes were indeed aware of the
significance of the dragon in relation to the
Chinese emperor. As one specific entry from
the 1779 inventories conveys in vivid detail:
‘2 very fine round slop bowls, on the outside
of which the Chinese Emperor’s dragon crest
and symbols are painted in green on a yellow to researching and publishing, throughout contributed to the successful research and its 7
5
ground (...)’. Though partly damaged, one all these years Eva Ströber was present on the eventual publication in 2014. 10 Her study Page 10, Plate, porcelain
of these yellow-ground, green-enamelled international stage with academic lectures of the actual use of the East Asian vessels painted with overglaze
dragon bowls with a six-character Kangxi and essays on a variety of subjects relating at the Dresden court revealed that there iron red enamel and
mark and double circle has survived (fig. 6). to the Royal Chinese and Japanese Porcelain were indeed objects such as Chinese and gold, Meissen, ca. 1700,
Eventually the motif of a red dragon was Collection of Augustus the Strong, in which Japanese teawares, large plates and terrines h. 4.5 cm, d. 25.9 cm,
8
integrated as the main motif on an early she shed new light on significant aspects of that were not only display pieces (as most of Porzellansammlung
Meissen dinner service for the Saxon court the holdings and inspired future research. the Oriental wares) but were also used by the SKD, inv. no. PE 7750,
9
(fig. 7). Yet, the prototype for this decoration king for informal dinners or in his private photo: KV Lengefeld
seems more likely to have derived from a An important research project into the chambers. 10 In this context Eva Ströber
Japanese porcelain object. history of the Royal Porcelain Collection showcased some striking examples of the 8
was launched in 1999 with the generous appropriation of East-Asian objects into a View of the Zwinger
Eva Ströber’s tenure at Dresden was support of the Fritz Thyssen Foundation. European cultural context. court during the
also marked by a challenging period The comprehensive study included many devastating lood of the
for the collection and its staff in which different specialists, art historians and Prominent Dresden examples are the many Elbe in August 2002,
the foundations were eventually laid for architectural historians who investigated wonderful Chinese cisterns that were eagerly Porzellansammlung
6 Under the directorship of Dr. Ulrich Pietsch exciting future research possibilities. Several the Royal intentions and motivations collected by the king (fig. 9). Yet in Dresden SKD, photo: David
Bowl with a Kangxi (1994–2015) research and the presentation relocations of the entire holdings due to the for creating a unique porcelain palace those pots were not used to keep goldfish Brandt
six-character mark in a of the porcelain collection was primarily extensive refurbishments of the galleries and at Dresden. As part of this undertaking as they had been in China since the Tang
double circle, porcelain focused on the eighteenth century and the storage facilities at the Zwinger as well as the eighteenth-century inventories were dynasty (618–907), but instead functioned
painted with overglaze in particular on the Augustus the Strong the devastating flood of the Elbe in August transcribed into modern German and as a cachepot for the expensive orange trees
6
yellow and green enamel, period, which was reflected in the complete 2002 literally required all the available ‘man- consequently used for the reconstruction that were displayed in the king’s castles
China, 1662 - 1722, re-arrangement of the permanent collection women-power’ to re-settle the collection (fig. of the palace’s interior. Especially the years and parks. A drilled hole in the base of the
4
h. 7.2 cm x d. 14. cm, from 1998 until 2010. Nevertheless, Eva 8). The Porzellansammlung was also the first from 1717, when Augustus the Strong pot served as drainage. Another exquisite
d. footring 6.1 cm, Ströber made sure that some outstanding of the SKD’s collections to digitise its entire bought the Holländische Palais (also known example, a Japanese lidded incense box,
Porzellansammlung and rare Chinese porcelain vessels from early holdings of more than 20,000 objects. This as Japanisches Palais from 1719), until 1727, with delicate renderings in shades of cobalt
SKD, inv. no. PO 9790, twentieth-century acquisitions were also was an immense undertaking that began in before the enlargement of the Palace, was blue, is mentioned in the inventories as
photo: Adrian Sauer included in the new gallery display. They December 2006 and was triggered by the a crucial time for the display of the king’s a sugar box and might have been used in
not only emphasised the ongoing evolution House of Wettin’s restitution claim of 1,800 Oriental porcelain collection. As a member the context of tea and coffee consumption
of the collection since the eighteenth century porcelain objects. Despite all the obstacles of the Thyssen Research Group, Eva Ströber within the king’s private chambers (fig.
7
12 I vormen uit vuur vormen uit vuur I 13