DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23631#0085
an important gold- and silversmithing centre where many polonized Armenian and Jewish masters
worked. Particular renown was won by the goldsmith and jeweller Wincenty Gawlikowski who moved
to Vienna in 1868, where he worked for the Imperial Court and made, among other things, a diamond
tiara for the Empress Elizabeth. Another famous Lvov goldsmith was ihc Armenian Stef.in Ghichowski.
Gold- and silversmiths in Poznah and Vilna also did their best to uphold local Polish traditions in this
branch of art.
The manufacture of Polish porcelain continued to develop throughout the 19th century, though not
without setbacks and difficulties. During the first three decades, the Korzec manufactory remained in the
lead. Rebuilt after a fire it was reopened in 1800. In that period, fourteen porcelain shops were operating
in Korzec, equipped with kilns for baking clay into biscuit, and for glazing, which could generate
a temperature of i4^o°C. Korzec employed over twenty decorators, mostly local people, but only a few
were capable of executing more sophisticated designs. Some of the large flat pieces had faults in them,
consequently the sets of table porcelain were not always of equal quality. However, despite such short-
comings demand was so great that output could not keep up with it. When for unknown reasons Michael
de Mezer resigned as manager at Korzec in 1804, there was great difficulty in finding a satisfactory
replacement for him. Attempts to obtain a suitable expert from Meissen or Vienna failed; eventually
Frenchmen were invited over, first Henri Chanou, then Meraud, and in 1807 Petion, who soon took
the lease of the Korzec manufactory which in 1832 was finally closed down. When the manufactory
was reopened in 1800, its trade-mark was the 'Eye of Providence', occasionally with the word 'Korzec'
added. Later the 'Eye' was surrounded with rays. Towards the end of the 1820s the word 'Korzec'
was sometimes written in the Cyrillic alphabet, evidently on pieces which were destined for the Russian
market. Some wares had the letter 'P' (for Petion) either engraved, or painted in black. Trade-marks
were rendered in various colours: black, grey, brown, purple, raspberry, gold and vermilion, with this
last mentioned used in the final years of the manufactory. Occasionally other marks also figured, usually
numbers pertaining to modellers or decorators. The quality of the porcelain paste and its visible character-
istics changed. The yellowish translucence of the early French period gave way to a greenish hue in
the 1820s. Korzec produced a large variety of wares, principally table services, tea sets, coffee and
cocoa sets. One of the most famous table services, preserved almost intact in the Czartoryski Collection
in Cracow, was ordered after 1807 by Izabela Czartoryska for the romantic retreat of 'Parchatka'
near Pulawy. Each piece of this service, evidently inspired by Sevres porcelain, featured a gold stripe
and the calligraphed inscription 'Parchatka'. On Korzec porcelain, French and even English designs
often mingled with local, indigenous motifs: twigs of blackthorn painted in cobalt-blue under the glazing,
or gold ornaments composed of ears of corn and vetch. Enamelling and gilding became fashionable
in the Empire period. Gold palmettes were painted on a background of sapphire blue; sometimes the
texture of tortoise-shell or marble was imitated while in other cases the background was yellow, red or
cafe-au-latt. Tea-cups often featured dedications, aphorisms and maxims, usually in French, and miniature
portraits and silhouettes. Gold was used lavishly for paintings and the inside of cups, tureens and other
vessels. In its last decade, Korzec produced more modestly decorated wares: table services with flower
motifs — roses, tulips, narcissi, pansies, carnations, grapevine, bulrush, oak leaves and acorns; breakfast
sets often with ornaments of strawberries; and dessert plates and fruit baskets with openwork rims. It
cannot be ascertained with any degree of certainty whether attempts were made at Korzec to imitate the
famous ornamental Meissen figurines; it is known, however, that Korzec produced butter-dishes in the
shape of cabbage heads, small leaf bowls, vases imitating satyr's heads, and such small objects as knife
rests shaped like asparagus bunches, knife and fork handles, and snuffboxes.
On leaving Korzec, Michael de Mezer moved to Baranowka where he signed a contract with Adam
Walewski, to open a factory of porcelain and faience. Walewski had married Jozefa Lubomirska, heiress
of Baranowka in the Zhitomir region. The marriage broke up however and she left Walewski for a Russian
general de Witte. By reason of subsequent marriages, the Baranowka estates passed into Russian hands.
With his usual talent and energy, de Mezer assured a high standard to wares produced at Baranowka.
In this he was helped by the considerable number of former Korzec employees he succeeded in recruiting.
Deposits of kaolin clay were found in Burtyn, in the neighbourhood of Baranowka. The porcelain
paste made at Baranowka was pure white, dense and fine-grained, much better, than that produced at
Korzec. The glazing and colours were also very effective. Many designs were direct copies ol Korzec
models. Others were original creations, for example scoop-shaped cups with tall scroll-like ears, or tea-
worked. Particular renown was won by the goldsmith and jeweller Wincenty Gawlikowski who moved
to Vienna in 1868, where he worked for the Imperial Court and made, among other things, a diamond
tiara for the Empress Elizabeth. Another famous Lvov goldsmith was ihc Armenian Stef.in Ghichowski.
Gold- and silversmiths in Poznah and Vilna also did their best to uphold local Polish traditions in this
branch of art.
The manufacture of Polish porcelain continued to develop throughout the 19th century, though not
without setbacks and difficulties. During the first three decades, the Korzec manufactory remained in the
lead. Rebuilt after a fire it was reopened in 1800. In that period, fourteen porcelain shops were operating
in Korzec, equipped with kilns for baking clay into biscuit, and for glazing, which could generate
a temperature of i4^o°C. Korzec employed over twenty decorators, mostly local people, but only a few
were capable of executing more sophisticated designs. Some of the large flat pieces had faults in them,
consequently the sets of table porcelain were not always of equal quality. However, despite such short-
comings demand was so great that output could not keep up with it. When for unknown reasons Michael
de Mezer resigned as manager at Korzec in 1804, there was great difficulty in finding a satisfactory
replacement for him. Attempts to obtain a suitable expert from Meissen or Vienna failed; eventually
Frenchmen were invited over, first Henri Chanou, then Meraud, and in 1807 Petion, who soon took
the lease of the Korzec manufactory which in 1832 was finally closed down. When the manufactory
was reopened in 1800, its trade-mark was the 'Eye of Providence', occasionally with the word 'Korzec'
added. Later the 'Eye' was surrounded with rays. Towards the end of the 1820s the word 'Korzec'
was sometimes written in the Cyrillic alphabet, evidently on pieces which were destined for the Russian
market. Some wares had the letter 'P' (for Petion) either engraved, or painted in black. Trade-marks
were rendered in various colours: black, grey, brown, purple, raspberry, gold and vermilion, with this
last mentioned used in the final years of the manufactory. Occasionally other marks also figured, usually
numbers pertaining to modellers or decorators. The quality of the porcelain paste and its visible character-
istics changed. The yellowish translucence of the early French period gave way to a greenish hue in
the 1820s. Korzec produced a large variety of wares, principally table services, tea sets, coffee and
cocoa sets. One of the most famous table services, preserved almost intact in the Czartoryski Collection
in Cracow, was ordered after 1807 by Izabela Czartoryska for the romantic retreat of 'Parchatka'
near Pulawy. Each piece of this service, evidently inspired by Sevres porcelain, featured a gold stripe
and the calligraphed inscription 'Parchatka'. On Korzec porcelain, French and even English designs
often mingled with local, indigenous motifs: twigs of blackthorn painted in cobalt-blue under the glazing,
or gold ornaments composed of ears of corn and vetch. Enamelling and gilding became fashionable
in the Empire period. Gold palmettes were painted on a background of sapphire blue; sometimes the
texture of tortoise-shell or marble was imitated while in other cases the background was yellow, red or
cafe-au-latt. Tea-cups often featured dedications, aphorisms and maxims, usually in French, and miniature
portraits and silhouettes. Gold was used lavishly for paintings and the inside of cups, tureens and other
vessels. In its last decade, Korzec produced more modestly decorated wares: table services with flower
motifs — roses, tulips, narcissi, pansies, carnations, grapevine, bulrush, oak leaves and acorns; breakfast
sets often with ornaments of strawberries; and dessert plates and fruit baskets with openwork rims. It
cannot be ascertained with any degree of certainty whether attempts were made at Korzec to imitate the
famous ornamental Meissen figurines; it is known, however, that Korzec produced butter-dishes in the
shape of cabbage heads, small leaf bowls, vases imitating satyr's heads, and such small objects as knife
rests shaped like asparagus bunches, knife and fork handles, and snuffboxes.
On leaving Korzec, Michael de Mezer moved to Baranowka where he signed a contract with Adam
Walewski, to open a factory of porcelain and faience. Walewski had married Jozefa Lubomirska, heiress
of Baranowka in the Zhitomir region. The marriage broke up however and she left Walewski for a Russian
general de Witte. By reason of subsequent marriages, the Baranowka estates passed into Russian hands.
With his usual talent and energy, de Mezer assured a high standard to wares produced at Baranowka.
In this he was helped by the considerable number of former Korzec employees he succeeded in recruiting.
Deposits of kaolin clay were found in Burtyn, in the neighbourhood of Baranowka. The porcelain
paste made at Baranowka was pure white, dense and fine-grained, much better, than that produced at
Korzec. The glazing and colours were also very effective. Many designs were direct copies ol Korzec
models. Others were original creations, for example scoop-shaped cups with tall scroll-like ears, or tea-