PORCELAIN BY ST PETERSBURG PRIVATE FACTORIES

The ‘Porcelain by Saint Petersburg Private Factories’ exhibition presents circa 400 articles that were produced by the prominent Factory of Philip Batenin and the Kornilov Brothers’ Factory, from the Russian Museum collection.

In the Russian Museum the Batenin’s porcelain is presented by the most various and first-rate articles: from numerous cups, decorative vases and services to things for washing and figured jugs. Cups and gift mugs were the special matter of this factory. On the exhibition as well as in the museum’s collection this is the biggest group of items that are extremely diverse in form and picturesque decoration. Luxurious golden vases and services with typical bunches of flower and garlands, as well as the architecture views of Saint-Petersburg were the visiting cards of the factory.

In 1838 the factory was closed due to the fire that destroyed all the shops. All the materials were sold to the Kornilov Brothers’ Factory. Many masters passed to this factory. In the collection of porcelain by the Kornilov Brothers’ Factory was preserved the production of vases with views of Saint Petersburg that were similar to the Batenin’s patterns. The range of articles was diverse. The factory produced mugs, plates and services. But the china plastic art took also the important place in the factory’s manufacture. The factory produced articles that had the most fantastical outlines at time didn’t serve their purpose. Equally a national theme: depicting of genre scenes from a life of city tradesmen and craftsmen, and ‘the Russian Style’ found their reflection in a production of the factory.

The foundation of the Russian Museum collection is the exhibits that were aquired by the Russian Museum in 1920-1930s through the Museum Fund and the Hermitage from private collections (Grand Duke, Yusupov’s, Shuvalov’s and others) that were nationalized after the October Revolution, as well as from the museum of the former Baron A.L.Shtiglitz's Central School of Technical Drawing.