L'âme de la dame(JSK)-Art Cloumn-

17th to 18th Century Kings: Collectors of Chinese and Japanese "Porcelain"

　According to Juliette et Justine designer Nakamura, the plates that spread across the printing of this dress are from the renowned German kiln brand "Meissen," dating back to around 1780-1790. Meissen was the first brand in Europe to successfully produce porcelain. In the 16th century, Chinese porcelain was imported into Europe, followed by Japanese porcelain. The royalty and nobility of various countries became obsessed and started collecting them. While Europe had "pottery" made from clay, the pure white, thin, and beautiful "porcelain" made from stone did not exist in Europe at that time.

 Dress L'âme de la dame

　Augustus II of Germany (1670-1733) was a king who loved culture and art. When he visited the Palace of Versailles in France, he became fascinated with both the palace and the porcelain collected within it. Upon his return, he immediately began collecting porcelain and established Europe's first porcelain brand, "Meissen," with the aim of producing porcelain in his own country. These plates were not actually used as tableware but were arranged for viewing pleasure or to boast to guests. Augustus II's Zwinger Palace, among other European palaces, features "porcelain rooms," where porcelain is densely displayed in every available space...!

Berlin, Porcelain Room of Charlottenburg Palace (Germany)

The Alchemist Böttger Who Created Meissen Was Imprisoned in a Castle  

　Now, let's talk about the "dark story" before the creation of Meissen. Augustus II began to consider ways to fund the construction of a palace in his own country, similar to the Palace of Versailles. He turned to an alchemist named Johann Böttger, believing the claim that he possessed the Philosopher's Stone and could make gold. He half-kidnapped and employed Böttger, but gold was never produced. They then shifted their focus to making porcelain. By discovering the white clay "kaolin" in Germany, they succeeded in producing porcelain in 1709. Thus, Europe's first porcelain brand, "Meissen," was born.

　However, to prevent the secrets of porcelain making from leaking out, Augustus II placed Böttger under house arrest in Albrechtsburg Castle. In the end, Böttger, with nothing else to do, succumbed to alcoholism and died of it at the age of 37. Eventually, the craftsmen involved in Meissen either fled or were kidnapped and poached, spreading the technique to various countries.

　Then as now, corporate secrets tend to leak and get stolen! Later, when Chinoiserie (Chinese-style) patterns became less popular, the decoration style shifted to more European designs, like the prints on this dress.

The origin of folding fans: ritual memos from 8th century Japan

　The folding fans that occasionally appear on this dress were first created in Japan. During the Nara period (8th century), nobles used thin, 2-3 cm wide wooden strips called "mokkan" to write down the sequence of events during court ceremonies so they wouldn't forget. These mokkan were stacked together to form the earliest folding fans. Later, in the Heian period, modern folding fans made with paper pasted onto bamboo for cooling purposes appeared.

ドレスL'âme de la dameのプリントデザイン

　In the 16th century, folding fans were brought to Europe through trade between Japan and Portugal. Before this, Europe already had fans that symbolized power, held and waved by slaves or servants, as well as fans used as fly swatters. However, the fans introduced from Japan became accessories for noblewomen to carry themselves. These fans were also produced in Europe, incorporating materials like gold, silver, mother-of-pearl, and ivory, becoming increasingly luxurious.

　In 18th-century France, a custom emerged among the wealthy where brides would give fans to their invited guests at weddings, leading to the production of many fans. It is said that many of the folding fans we see in European museums today are these wedding gifts.

Written by Mariko Suzuki

※Her first book, "Gothic & Lolita Dictionary," will be published on July 10, 2024!

References:

⚫︎"Land of Masters: Germany Nurtured by Tradition" by Katsuji Tani / Published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha

⚫︎ "European Ceramic Journey - Meissen | Wedgwood | Sèvres" by Sanjiro Minamikawa / Published by World Culture Publishing

⚫︎ "Easy-to-Understand Guide to Western Ceramics: Brands, Features, History, Selection Methods at a Glance" supervised by Yutaka Minamioji / Published by Yuraku Publishing

⚫︎"Dictionary of Accessory History: Part 2 (Legs, Arms, and Hands, Portable Items)" by Katherine Morris Lester & Beth Viola Oake, translated by Keiko Koga / Published by Yasaka Shobo

⚫︎"Tea Time in Famous Paintings: A Dictionary of Tea Culture Seen in Enlarged Images of 60 Works" by Cha Tea Tea School / Published by Sogensha

⚫︎ "Coffee or Tea Meissen" Photographs by Sanjiro Minamikawa, Text by Masami Ohira / Published by Bijutsu Shuppan

⚫︎https://www.ohnishitune.com/about-sensu/history/