Visiting the Zwinger Palace in Dresden, Germany with Savvy Mom Ruth Paget
The
porcelain collection at the Staatliche Kunst Ammlungen Dresden encourages
visitors to reflect upon the fragile beauty of civilization. Works from Asia
and Meissen, outside Dresden, make up the collection.
Japanese and
Chinese porcelain glimmers in the sunshine from the palace museum’s windows.
The true treasures of this collection are the characteristic blue and white
Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) vases from China.
The Asian
porcelain is displayed in Western fashion: symmetrical arrangements that cover
walls with smaller pieces displayed on gold-colored shelves. In Asia, one or two of these shimmering
beauties would be displayed to fully appreciate them. The German display method made me think of the
Russian czar-like wealth of the Saxon rulers with serfs working the land and
one hundred ruling families living in voluptuous luxury.
The Meissen
porcelain collection equally reminded me of wealth and privilege, but more in
the style of an Iranian shah with its monumental peacock porcelains along with
other animals commanded for a zoo collection by Augustus the Strong (1670 –
1733). An entire wall in this collection
is covered with porcelain birds in various turning poses depicting self
grooming. My favorite piece in this
collection was a large splay of porcelain flowers in a porcelain vase.
Meissen
vases and dishes have luminous colors that make you want to caress them as if
they were satin. The Meissen yellows and
light blues are the characteristic colors of the manufacture. Meissen vases in these colors would look
wonderful in a curvy Rococo drawing room with François Boucher (1703 – 1770)
paintings of ladies being pushed on swings in lush gardens.
When I left
the porcelain collection at Dresden, I felt as if I had understood Saxony’s
history and how it might affect the cultural and political outlook of its
citizens.
By Ruth Paget - Author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
Click here for: Ruth Paget's Amazon Books
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| Laurent Paget Photography |
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| Laurent Paget Photography |
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| Laurent Paget Photography |
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| Laurent Paget Photography |
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| Laurent Paget Photography |
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| Laurent Paget Photography |
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| Ruth Paget Selfie |
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