Meissen porcelain with tulips. Maria Kalenska blog about Odessa

Meissen’s French Tulips

I dreamed of becoming an artist when I was little. And with thin, graceful paintbrushes, made of squirrel tails, slowly paint porcelain figurines, wooden caskets and snow-white dishes. I eagerly dug into each new drawing on a plate, cup or vase, which fell into my hands, studying its smallest details. Hundreds of notebooks painted with bouquets with intricate curls and patterns. Hundreds of lessons at school that I did not hear – it was so exciting to draw in an old checkered notebook instead… But there was a flower, the existence of which I could not believe. It seemed to me this was a fantasy of an artist from the workshops of Meissen, or maybe his hand trembled because he fell in love, and this unusual huge tulip of golden colour was born… I am sure, you’ve met it too: flowers and fruits from Meissen porcelain, decorating Meissen sets at the beginning of the 18th century, inspired artists from other manufactories for another 200 years after their creation, and sometimes they were simply copied…

But yesterday. Yesterday I met this flower! Just near South Kensington Underground Station. He just stood on the floor, in an iron bucket of water, among others, spring and fragrant, with fragile petals, asking to be in my cradled hands 🙂 Bright and huge, the size of my palm, with playful fringe on the petals, just like on plates, animated drawing, handsome French tulip! He was immediately captured, carried through the centre of London, caught dozens of enthusiastic compliments and fifty smiles on the way home 😊 I hope we will spend together with him some wonderful days 💐 And so that you recall this picture, here is the photo of a plate with French tulips from the set created for Frederick the Great , King of Prussia. Estimated price is about 3,000 euros (the 18th century after all). Not mine yet. Sorry 😉. I will never be tired of repeating: porcelain is a heritage.

Meissen porcelain with tulips. Maria Kalenska blog about Odessa

Flowers. Meissen porcelain with tulips. Maria Kalenska blog about Odessa