5 .
P O R C E L A I N
C O L L E C T I O N
THEATERPLATZ 1
As the craze for all things Chinese swept across Europe ,
the continent fell in love with porcelain . August the
Strong was the only person to know the secret of how to
make it . In 1710 , he founded the first European porcelain
manufactory in Meissen and made this exotic material
into its unique calling card . Thirsting after its beauty , he
collected thousands of pieces , the minority of which
were the practical everyday items we associate with
porcelain today . This explains how the Dresden
Porzellansammlung is able to show precious vases ,
figurines and life - sized sculptures modelled after real
animals owned by the Saxon king , alongside the finest
dining services .
Peter Martino developed the new design for the galleries
holding the most beautiful and rare of the 20 , 000 pieces
preserved in the Dresden Zwinger . The New York
architect , who had previously focussed on designing
private residences and flagship stores for major fashion
houses , underscores the luxury character of the
porcelain through his presentation of the pieces either
singly or arranged in groups . Largely uncased and
freestanding , visitors are able to experience the
porcelain more intimately than is usually the case .
Presented before leather hangings , mirrored expanses ,
or silk - panelled walls , each grouping establishes a world
of its own . In this way , lions and fighting dogs made
from Meissen porcelain take up position next to
peacocks , parrots and a family of monkeys , beneath the
canopies of exotic - seeming pavilions . Peter Marino was
interested in allowing the visitors to have an emotional
experience of baroque opulence , rather than attempting
a reconstruction of the collection as August the Strong
had planned to present it .
Today , the Porzellansammlung wows visitors , as it is one
of the finest collections of its kind worldwide – and the
galleries afford a wonderful view of the unique inner
courtyard of the Dresden Zwinger to boot .