As the craze for all things Chinese swept across Europe, the continent fell in love with porcelain. August the Strong was the only person to know the secret of how to make it. In 1710, he founded the first European porcelain manufactory in Meissen and made this exotic material into its unique calling card. Of the many thousands of pieces that he amassed, the most stunning and rare are to be found in the Zwinger in Dresden today.
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Albertinum, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Kupferstich-Kabinett, Porzellansammlung
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It was the "maladie de porcelaine", the obsession of August the Strong with the "white gold" that made his legendary porcelain collection the finest and most extensive specialized collection of ceramics in the world. Up to this day, the Dresden Porzellansammlung delights its guests and connoisseurs from all over the world.
The vaults of [the Japanese Palace] consist of fourteen apartments, filled with China and Dresden porcelain; one would imagine there was sufficient quantity to stock a whole country, and yet they say, with an air of importance, that 100’000 pieces more are wanted to compleat the intention of furnishing this single palace.Jonas Hanway, 1753
In the Cellars [of the Japanese Palace] are deposited the vast collection of the true China & Japan; which for beauty, & quantity exceed any other collection of Europe.Jeremiah Milles, 1736
The ancient Palace of the Marquises of Misnia is now sett apart for making the Saxony China, which is within these few years grown so famous all over Europe, & without doubt far exceeds that of the Indies, both in beauty, & workmanship.Jeremiah Milles, 1736
