MEISSEN PORCELAIN IN UKRAINIAN COLLECTIONS. TERMINOLOGY AND PERIOD BREAKDOWN ISSUES

Abstract

The purpose of the suggested study are: to analyse and submit to public consideration the issue of correction of the Saxon porcelain terminology generally used in Ukraine; to analyse reasonableness of the dating principles applied to the ‘sculpture’ period of manufacturing; and to attribute and introduce into the academic turnover Meissen porcelain items kept in a Ukrainian private collection of D. Popov.  The  history  &  culture  method
and  the  context  method  have  been  applied  to understand  the  role  of  Meissen  porcelains  in the  global  historic  background.  The  modelling and  abstraction  methods  helped  understand the  nature  of  18 th   century  craftsmen’s  work.
Attribution of artworks  has been  accomplished through  the  arts  expertise  and  comparative analyses.  Results. Based on the study results, it has been found  that  the  use  of  ‘chinoisrie’  term  is  not correct  to  designate  Meissen  porcelains manufactured  in  the  first  half  of  the  18 th  century. Unavailability of the correct attribution of  images  in  artworks  of  the  said  period prevents  experts  from  using  of  the  incorrect
term. It is suggested to replace such term with a more comprehensive one  – ‘orientalism’, which enables  detailed  identifying  and  description  of artistic culture peculiarities in a certain country. In the context of this analysis, a cup and a plate
manufactured in the first half of the 18 th  century from  a  private  Ukrainian  collection  have  been introduced  into  the  scientific  turnover. Following  the  insight  into  craftsmen’s  works and historic trends, it has been proved that the so-called  ‘sculpture’  period  of  manufacturing requires reinterpretation. The examples cited in the  Article  imply  that  this  stage  should  not  be marked  by  certain  dates,  or  the  time  interval should be extended taking into account the life period  of  a  manufacturing  founder. Consequently,  in  defiance  of  the  conventional system,  the  Ukrainian  expert  community  is becoming involved in reinterpretation of certain categories and processes in the decorative and applied arts.  Scientific novelty of work involves terminology and dating revision, which is used by scientists
towards  Meissen porcelain manufactory of the first half of the XVIII  century. The objects from private  Meissen  manufactory  collection  of D. Popov  are  used  as  a  part  of    scientific research.