Ten Centuries for a Secret…
Ceramics were created to solve practical problems: storing water, cooking food, transporting goods. Nothing particularly mysterious.
But one material —porcelain— transformed this everyday act into an object of absolute desire.
In Asia, porcelain was developed over a thousand years ago, and for centuries its recipe was fiercely guarded. It wasn’t just about raw materials, but about process, temperatures, timing, and gestures. When it arrived in Europe, it came as a finished object, not shared knowledge.
This sparked obsession. Kings, scientists, and alchemists tried and failed to reproduce it—until the early 18th century, when something extraordinary happened.
Johann Friedrich Böttger, a young alchemist claiming he could turn base metals into gold, was placed under custody by Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony. When gold proved impossible, Böttger was tasked with another challenge: uncover the secret of porcelain. For years, he worked under near-total confinement in castles, under watchful eyes, conducting endless experiments.
He never made gold. But he achieved something equally valuable: the first hard-paste porcelain produced in Europe. Its importance was such that production was set up inside the Albrechtsburg fortress in Meissen—guarded like a state laboratory.
This story says a lot about porcelain. Even today, it demands respect, precision, and time. No shortcuts. Every choice leaves a trace.
This January, you have the chance to explore this mystery yourself.
In the plaster mold slip-casting workshop, you’ll learn how to create molds and reproduce pieces with precision, and experiment with colored porcelain to produce unique marbled effects, where every piece is a small decorative surprise.
Seats are limited and each session is hands-on: don’t miss the opportunity to create pieces that combine technique and beauty from day one.
If you want to explore porcelain in another way, the intermediate wheel-throwing workshop offers a space to listen to the material, refine your gesture, and discover new possibilities of control and movement.
Two different paths, one invitation: not just to make porcelain, but to truly understand and master it.
Reserve your spot before it’s too late and dive into the world of porcelain like never before.
Take the chance: discover the secrets of porcelain and create without limits. ✨
see you soon!!
best,
Paula
