"Luxury, Wellness, Porcelain - A Day at the Bohemian Spa". Special exhibition at Porzellanikon Hohenberg from 1 April - 15 October 2023
For the first time in Germany, 19th century Bohemian porcelain is being presented in a monographic exhibition. The aim of the special show at Porzellanikon Hohenberg is to demonstrate the unique quality of the porcelain produced by Bohemian manufacturers. Until now, porcelain from Bohemia has had a reputation for being cheap, ordinary and mass-produced. This reputation was not entirely unjustified, especially in view of the products made since the end of the 19th century.
However, the fact that Bohemia's porcelain manufacturers have been producing porcelain in the very best quality of form and decoration since the beginning of regional porcelain production - from 1792 - is made clear by this exhibition. The exhibits bear witness to the exceptionally high artistic and craftsmanship skills of the Bohemian porcelain manufacturers with regard to the technical, formal and especially painterly design of porcelain. The quality of the porcelain was in no way inferior to that of the products of the great manufactories. And with this quality, the manufacturers also reached the political and social elite of Europe, who appreciated and bought porcelain from Bohemia.
One of the highlights of the exhibition is the breakfast service from which the Austrian Empress, known as "Sisi", dined (Fig. 1). It was commissioned by the Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I from the Thun porcelain factory in Klösterle in 1852 and passed into the Empress's possession after his death. Another outstanding object is a large wine jug in the neo-Renaissance style, which the German Emperor Wilhelm I acquired for himself during his visit to the 1873 World's Fair in Vienna (Fig. 2). This is being presented to the public for the first time in this exhibition. From the multitude of utility and ornamental porcelains presented, two ornamental vases should be mentioned that were produced by the porcelain factory Lippert & Haas from Schlaggenwald (Fig. 3). The sculptural design, the filigree blossoms decorating the vase body and the excellent genre painting on the fronts are outstanding. The wide range of articles produced by the Bohemian factories is equally rich in quality. Thus, in addition to many bubble cups, which were used in the spa resorts to drink the healing waters and were also collected as souvenirs, the exhibition also shows services for the table and for coffee and tea as well as individual cups with genre, landscape and portrait depictions. But monumental ornamental vases, which were displayed as special showpieces at the great world exhibitions, are also part of the presentation.
The special show is aimed not only at experts but also at a broad public interested in cultural history. The presentation of Bohemian porcelain is based on entertaining storytelling. Visitors are taken on a journey through time to the legendary Bohemian spas of Karlovy Vary, Franzensbad and Marienbad, which today have World Heritage status. The setting is deliberately chosen because people from all over Europe came together here to take a cure, but also to enjoy the social and international flair of the spa resorts. The porcelain manufacturers were located in their vicinity, because with their high-quality porcelain they wanted to reach the sophisticated and wealthy clientele who frequented the spas.
In the exhibition, museum visitors can relive the course of a spa day. The stagecoach driver Wenzel Wolfert "accompanies" them. He was known for his entertaining rides and drove many famous personalities, such as the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef I. Guests can meet the Emperor and his wife, the empress "Sisi", or Johann Wolfgang von Goethe during their "ride" through the exhibition and learn what one could experience on a spa day in the 19th century. More than 250 porcelains from renowned Czech, Austrian and German collections are embedded in the day's programme.
The exhibition was created in cooperation with the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague and the West Bohemian Museum in Pilsen. It is Porzellanikon's contribution to the "Bavarian-Czech Friendship Weeks Selb-Asch 2023", which will take place in Selb and the surrounding area from May to August 2023.
Porzellanikon Hohenberg
Schirndinger Straße 48
95691 Hohenberg an der Eger
Phone: +49 9233 7722-0
besucherservice(at)porzellanikon.org
Duration of the special exhibition:
1 April - 15 October 2023
Opening hours:
Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 h - 17:00 h
Public holidays 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays
Admission prices:
Hohenberg 3,00 € / 2,00 € reduced
Combination ticket with Porzellanikon Selb 6,50 € / 5,00 € reduced
Admission Sundays always only 1,00 €
Children up to 18 years always free
Responsible curator:
Thomas Miltschus, M. A.
Curator (Collection/Exhibitions Porcelain 18th/19th Century)
thomas.miltschus(at)porzellanikon.org
+49 9287 918 00 213
Service "Ferdinand-Form" by Empress Elisabeth, Klösterle, 1851-1858, © Landessammlungen NÖ
Wine jug with neo-Renaissance decoration, Klösterle, c. 1855, © Museum of Decorative Arts Prague, photo Gabriel Urbánek
Large ornamental vase with genre painting, Schlaggenwald, 1835-1850, © National Museum Prague
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