The Royal Copenhagen History 1800-1900

The periods trend-setting architect, G.F. Hetsch, was the porcelain manufactories artistic director. He assigned several artists to the factory, notably the flower painter J.L. Jensen, who distinguished himself with his multicolored overglaze paintings. Hetsch designed several neoclassical services and elaborate vases richly ornamented in gold. He often found inspiration, as was customary at the time, in foreign styles, patterns and colors. But he inevitably refined the style in his endeavour to find 'purity', which for him was the distinguishing feature of Danish porcelain and therefore essential to national identity in this period, when the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactories role as the nations flagship was growing.

The porcelain manufactories artistic performance was raised to such a pitch under Hetch's leadership that in 1851 the factory qualified to participate in its first official exhibition, the World Exhibition at the Crystal Palace, London.

Absolute monarchy was abolished in Denmark in 1849. Old state monopolies disappeared and privileges were revoked with the introduction of the new constitution. The old porcelain factory was now compelled to prove its viability on the free market. Soon, Denmark's other large porcelain factory appears: Bing & Grøndahl.

The figure maker Frederik Vilhelm Grøndahl proposed that Meyer Herman and Jacob Herman Bing, two brothers who were art dealers in the city, should establish a porcelain manufactory. It would produce biscuit figurines based on the works of Thorvaldsen, the renowned Danish sculptor. Grøndahl had a great deal of experience in the production process involved from his years with the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory, where he trained. Bing & Grøndahl was founded on 19 April 1853.

The Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory came into private hands in 1868. In 1882 the Alumina faience factory purchased the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory, which shortly afterwards moved to a then modern factory building at Alumina's site in Frederiksberg on the outskirts of Copenhagen. Royal Copenhagen still operates from there today.

Both porcelain factories benefited from the new bourgeoisie, who had money to spend in an age of mounting industrialisation. They were now financially prepared for a concerted artistic onslaught, which in the latter half of the century would lead Danish porcelain to the modern breakthrough in the history of porcelain. Whereas others chose to concentrate on the ethos of mass production inherent in the Industrial Revolution, the Danish porcelain manufacturers resolutely put their energies into conserving, reviving and developing the artistic and craft qualities of their products.

A broad-based group of Danish industrialists, artists and crafts people constituted the driving force behind porcelains modern breakthrough. However, the primary stimulus was supplied by the artistic directors of the two porcelain manufactories: the architect Arnold Krog at the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory, 1885-1916, and the painter Pietro Krohn at Bing & Grøndahl, 1885-1892, followed by the sculptor and painter J.F. Willumsen, 1897-1900.

Renewal focused on the under glaze technique. Hitherto the technique had been used solely for plain blue painting, as for instance in the Blue Fluted pattern. Taking their inspiration from the eras idolisation of nature and from Japanese woodcuts, the Danes refined a type of watercolor technique in which the color was both applied with a brush and sprayed on to give a fresh natural resonance. A chrome green and a golden brown/red were gradually added.

Audacious and free modelling was also manifest in this period. In 1886-88 Pietro Krohn anticipated the art nouveau genre with his Heron service, while notably Eiffie Hegermann-Lindencrone's perforated, carved porcelain urns and J.F. Willumsen's powerful works stood out convincingly at the turn of the century.

Danish under glaze porcelain attracted great attention at the World Exposition in Paris in 1889 and was awarded the Grand Prix. The international breakthrough was guaranteed. Efforts intensified in subsequent years, culminating in prizes, honours and commendations at the World Exposition in Paris in 1900.

Museums and collectors the world over vied with each other to acquire the new under glaze works at exorbitant prices.

In 1890 the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory opened a shop in Paris. In 1897 another shop was opened on the fashionable Old Bond Street in London. Among its exclusive clientele the Copenhagen shop at this time boasted the Russian Tsar, Alexander III. The collection he left behind in St. Petersburg bears witness to his esteem for Danish under glaze porcelain.

Devotion to artistic matters demands abundant resources. On several occasions in the 1890s the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory and Bing & Grøndahl were advised to combine their resources to guarantee an international position for Danish porcelain. It would take another 100 years, however, for such a merger to become a reality.

The newly developed under glaze technique was quickly adapted to the production process. Using a specific version, in which the decoration is cut in relief and interchanging layers of color produce a variety of blue shades, the under glaze painter F.A. Hallin produced the first Christmas Plate in 1895. At about the same time, the painter Fanny Garde designed her Seagull Service in the new art nouveau style. A service that a few generations later would be designated "Denmark's National Service".

But most notably in this period, the foundations were laid for naturalistic vase painting depicting landscapes, marine and animal motifs, and corresponding figurines of animals and humans, which were destined to become one of the cornerstones of Danish porcelain production.

Essentially, the end of the 1800s represented the inception of a definitive Danish ceramic tradition that has advanced steadily to this day, adopting the changing modes of the times.