"It surpasses snow and frost in brilliance," a Chinese
sage said about porcelain in the IX century. He knew what he was talking about: the noble material
captivates with transparency, whiteness, never ages. It is passed down from generation
to generation as an expensive inheritance. And the history of porcelain is fascinating, interesting
and special for each country.
Differences between the material and ceramics
Consumers unknowingly sometimes confuse porcelain and
ceramic products. It is not surprising, because the former are a kind
of ceramics, but the similarities end there. Porcelain is a mixture of special
white clay, quartz and feldspar. Thanks to this composition, the mass for
the manufacture of blanks is plastic and white. Whiteness is preserved in finished
products.
Finished items are valued for their transparency, while they do not
absorb moisture, are resistant to gases, and do not darken for many years. And
the material "sings": with a light tapping with a wooden stick, cups, vases,
saucers emit high melodious sounds. Almost like crystal.
When was it invented?
In encyclopedias and books that collect everything about porcelain,
the year 620 is mentioned as the start of porcelain production. Invention of the material
attributed to the Chinese – for almost a thousand years they carefully kept the formula of its
preparation a secret. It was only in 1735 that the world learned the composition and technology
of Chinese production. At that time, Europeans already had their own formula –
it was obtained in 1708 thanks to the work of German scientists Johann Friedrich
Bettger and Walter von Chirnhaus. In the same year, the first manufactory opened in Dresden
– the first batches produced by its workers were not covered with glaze and
were not signed.
Bone china appeared in the XVIII century in England and immediately
it was loved by customers for its high durability, practicality and aesthetics. These
characteristics are explained by the presence of bone ash in its composition. The British
specially burned the bones of cattle, more often cows. The series of products
were called "Bone China" — and today many manufacturers
use this name as a brand.
In Russia, a similar production originated later – only
in the middle of the XVIII century. The starting point was the construction and launch
Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg. A company founded in
In 1744, it still works today.
The history of porcelain from China
"White gold" is one of the most significant achievements of China,
comparable to the production of gunpowder and silk. Initially, local craftsmen made
only clay objects for everyday life, then ceramic and faience
objects appeared. In the early years, the masters of the Celestial Empire specialized in the so
—called "biscuit porcelain" - it was not decorated, it was not covered with glaze.
Yes, it was not necessary, because the thin-walled products were almost transparent,
which literally glowed, and the noble sky-white color did not need
amplifiers.
Some of the technologies used in China are still being practiced
. For example, the firing of blanks at high temperature (for each type
of product, the temperature is different). Low-temperature roasting is also popular in China.
The traditions and technologies of this craft have been formed over the course of 18
thousands of years, as evidenced by archaeological finds.
Experts date some ceramic objects found during the expeditions to the II century. They were
of a primitive form, without drawings and decorative elements, used in everyday life
and during rituals.
Durable and solid dining sets and accessories obtained as a
result of high–temperature thermal exposure appeared later - in
the era of the Han Dynasty. During the reign of the Sui Dynasty, ordinary products
turned into real masterpieces with complex multicolored decor. Later,
when representatives of the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties were in power, the development and
improvement of production continued. This segment was marked
by the appearance of glaze painting, inlaid things with precious stones and
metals, the production of cobalt porcelain.
Cobalt decor was first made under Emperor Zhu
Zhanji – since that time, blue color combined with gold decor is considered
a royal style. The porcelain era in China does not end – contemporaries
continue it now.
European porcelain
The Italians tried to produce raw materials back in the XV
century – the sky-high price of Chinese dishes and figurines was a good
incentive for this. Numerous attempts were in vain – the output was
a "glass" raw material that did not even remotely resemble plastic and
snow-white material. A century and a half passed when the German alchemist Bettger and
physicist Chirngauz succeeded. The recipe of the raw materials they received after near
a deposit of plastic kaolin was discovered with Dresden. Exactly the one that
is necessary for the manufacture of pure white products.
The first manufactory opened in Meissen two years later –
it was headed by Bettger himself. Theoretical knowledge alone was not enough to
produce high-quality products. The manufactory has been developing its own
recognizable style for years, perfecting the recipe of technology and craftsmanship. Finally
the world saw the famous Meissen porcelain. Since then, manufactories have been opened in
different European countries – the masters who created their masterpieces knew everything about porcelain,
its properties, and features, so they polished their skills every year. Thanks
to this, European brands managed to combine classical traditions and
modern design, ahead of Chinese and Japanese manufacturers.
History of porcelain in Russia
The first ceramic products made in Russia date back to the X
century. A couple of plates and a cup of white clay – or rather, what is from them
it remains – archaeologists found near the village of Gnezdovo. Porcelain
production began to develop much later – after eight centuries.
The organized manufactories were divided into 2 categories:
the first category included productions that
were supported and financed by the royal family;
the second group consisted of commercial enterprises.
At first, porcelain dishes and figurines turned out to be rough,
thick-walled, did not emit a characteristic porcelain ringing. In 1752
, Dmitry Vinogradov proposed his recipe for raw materials. A young talented scientist made of
he had a cup with a vine – it was not inferior in aesthetics and quality
Saxon products, although materials extracted
in Russia were used for production.
15 years later, Vinogradov participated in the creation of furnaces for
high-temperature firing of blanks at the Imperial Porcelain Factory.
Thanks to this "know-how", the strength and hardness of the objects increased – now
they could adequately compete with the products of the Meissen manufactory. Demand
creates supply – at the beginning of the 19th century, new manufactories appeared in Russia
. A significant contribution to the development of the porcelain industry was made by the merchant
Matvey Kuznetsov. In 1832, he founded a factory in the village of Dulevo, which soon
became one of the largest production facilities in Russia.
After 3 years, Kuznetsov opens another factory, then another
and another. By 1913, the Kuznetsov Partnership already included 18 enterprises founded from scratch and
purchased, whose products were actively supplied to the domestic
market and for export. The owners of the Partnership drove foreign competitors out of
the country. The revolution and the nationalization that followed prevented the completion of what was started
. A difficult period has begun for the industry – stagnation. It lasted for years
ten, after which the production of porcelain tableware, figurines and other
household items resumed.
Russian factories have a different history: some have worked
for several years, others for several centuries. Some have gone bankrupt and closed,
others are creating masterpieces even now, delighting the most discerning buyer
with the perfection of forms, painting and material.
Porcelain 
