Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg

About the factory, which will produce porcelain in Russia, Peter the Great also dreamed. But it was only his daughter, Elizabeth Petrovna, who managed to accomplish this task. It was founded in 1744, and it became the first in Russia and the third in Europe. In 1837 a room was allocated for showing his best examples. Later it became the Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory.

From the history of the plant

The newly built Nevskaya Porcelain Manufactory was later renamed the Imperial Porcelain Factory (1765), and from 1917 it was already called, if short, LFZ. Dmitry Vinogradov for ten years developed a recipe for high-quality porcelain. The first production began with snuffboxes in 1750. Here, for example, snuffbox with overglaze flower paintings in 1760. It is decorated with copper and gilded. Technologists at the plant for a long time worked for foreigners, but he was always headed by Russian aristocrats. For production, Glukhov clay was used, then French and English. In 1845, at the factory appeared the Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, which was located in the suburbs. In the twentieth century entered the city line. Now, as before, there is a Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory on the territory, whose address is: Lomonosovskaya metro station, Nevsky district, Obukhovskoy Defense Ave. , 151.

Orders of Emperors Nicholas I and Alexander III

It was by order of the emperor to store specimens that are worthy to be made with copies and carefully studied, a museum appeared at the factory. This is an exclusive repository of works of applied art. The Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory has already exhibited a unique collection for two hundred and seventy years. It has 30,000 exhibits, including a rare library, drawings and art glass.

By order of the grandson of Nicholas I, Emperor Alexander III, all products were made in duplicate. One went to the palace, the other - to the Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg. All the leading art styles that dominated at one time or another, including Soviet propaganda porcelain, are represented in the exhibits in the museum. In addition, there are exhibited works of European, Chinese and Japanese masters. This collection in the world has no analogues.

A turning point in the 2000s

At the turn of the third millennium, the plant was privatized by American investors. A very urgent question arose about the preservation of the museum's funds. They belonged to the state. The idea that the collection should be in its historic place, said Boris Piotrovsky. The Ministry of Culture listened to his statement and transferred the Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory to the supervision of the GoE. So in 2003 the Hermitage had a new department at the IPZ. At that time, the owners were not Americans, but citizens of Russia.

IFZ products

The assortment consists of 7 collections. We are ready to acquaint the reader with some samples. Here, for example, a couple for two people. It is so richly decorated that the porcelain itself is not even visible. The handles are gold-plated, the surface inside the cup, which gives an inexplicably beautiful color to the tea poured into it. The cups themselves are decorated with a rectangle, in which are located two different flower bouquets. The dishes are also different. Having a stroke of gold along the edge, they are inside one - blue, the other - red. That is, each of the drinkers had the opportunity to choose their favorite and always use it.

Vases

The photo above shows a vase-crater, the work of 1830. It depicts the drummers from the company of the palace grenadiers overglaze painting. The vase is polychrome, multi-colored, special gilding is attached to the gilding and the crochet on matte gold (the belt below the figure). Bronze is included in the base. Paired vases of this type are highly quoted at international auctions.

Shop of the Imperial Porcelain Factory Museum

There are several (more than a dozen) firm shops IFZ, including those located at the plant and the Hermitage. In addition, they are in Kolpino, Peterhof, Moscow, Saratov and even abroad, for example, in Paris. In stores, figures of people and animals, all types of services, vases are in great demand. One of the most popular is the traditional classic tea set "Tulip". It is covered with a blue cobalt net, designed for six people and consists of twenty items.

Today, the cultural heritage of the past is treated with great care. Masters try not only to preserve, but also to renew traditions. They find their own creative writing. This makes it possible to create a variety of original products at the IPP.