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The Procession of Princes, or Fürstenzug, is located in Historic Dresden, Germany. The Procession of Princes Mural is situated outside the Stallhof, on Schlossplatz Square. Walking east along Augustusstraße, you will immediately be overwhelmed by the site of the giant wall installation.

About the Procession of Princes

This 101-meter-long porcelain series of portraits depicts the entire history of Dresden. By portraying the various men who built, controlled, governed and sparked new thoughts and ideas within the city. It features Dukes, Electors, Kings and other leading figures from the arts and sciences.

Porcelain Tiles

Over 24,000 porcelain tiles make up Procession of Princes. The tiles were made in the German town of Meissen. Meissen was made famous for its prolific porcelain factory. Today, the Procession of Princes is the world’s most extensive porcelain work of art. 

History of Mural

Initially, the outer wall of the Stallhof (Stables Courtyard) was decorated with a large fresco. The first fresco dated all the way back to 1589. In 1872, for the 800th anniversary of the princely House of Wettin, a new fresco was commissioned to replace the previous one.

Wilhelm Walther

This version was to be painted by artist Wilhelm Walther. Walther worked on the piece for more than five years. He used the sgraffito technique popular in the 19th century. This sgraffito technique was made by applying layers of plaster tinted in contrasting colours and scratching away to reveal the various layers and colours.

At the back of the group along the mural, look for a man with a large hat poking his head out of the crowd. This is a portrait of Wilhelm Walther, who designed the original fresco.

Sadly, Walther’s new fresco began to deteriorate almost immediately. So in 1904, 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles were commissioned to replace the painted fresco. Tiles could withstand the outdoor elements and be a permanent solution to ensure the artwork lasted for ages. Each tile was hand painted and fired. Hundreds of artisans were employed to complete the work of art.

WWII

Amazingly, thanks to the strong tiles, the Procession of Princes was minimally damaged during the significant Dresden bombing of WWII. After the war, its remaining artistry served as a beacon of hope for reconstructing the rest of the city of Dresden.

Design of the Mural

Despite being fired in porcelain, it looks closely at the tiny details painted onto the mural to make it appear like a giant woven tapestry. Buttons and tassels hang from below. Also spread throughout the mural are blossoms, fruits, and various birds flying overhead.

Fashion Throughout Time

One of my favourite things about the mural is watching fashion change as we move through history. On the chest of Conrad are the arms of Dresden. The weapons depict the lion of Meissen.

Portraits on the Mural

Across the mural, you’ll find 35 noblemen, princes, dukes and kings. All of these men are seen mounted on horseback. In addition, there are also 59 scientists, artisans, artisans, children, and farmers accompanying these noblemen on foot. 

The only woman portrayed in the mural is a girl in the group of children at the rear of the royal procession.

The man leading the charge is Conrad the Great. He ruled from 1123 until his retirement in 1156. Conrad was the leader of the wealthy Wettin family, for whom the entire mural was made honour.

Augustus the Strong

The most important man in this mural is Augustus II, Augustus the Strong. You’ll hear his name over and over in Dresden. His face was plastered on dozens of statues across the city. Augustus the Strong got his name due to his physical strength. He liked to show off at any opportunity. Once, as the legend goes, he broke a horseshoe in half with his bare hands. History has proved that the horseshoe in question was very brittle, but nevertheless, it impressed the people at the time. 

Augustus had high ambitions for himself and his great city of Dresden. He was a great patron of the arts and architecture. Augustus established the Saxon capital of Dresden as a major cultural centre, attracting artists from across Europe to his court. He collected hundreds of artworks from some of the greatest old masters. 

Augustus and the Polish Throne

But Augustus wanted more, and in 1697 he converted to Catholicism to take control of the Polish throne. See if you can spot the flowers scattered on the ground in the mural. The horse Augustus rides is rearing up and stomping out a large rose. This rose was the symbol of the Lutheran religion. A message that Augustus was stamping out all evidence of his previous belief and was loyal to the Catholic faith.

At the end of the mural, we see a frame with the text that says, “You old tribe, be always again in the noble ranks of princes, as all-time your people consecrate you the old German loyalty.”

The procession ends near the Church of the Holy Trinity entrance, where many men portrayed in this mural are buried.

The post An Art Guide To The Procession Of Princes In Dresden first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Tickets

To access the Porcelain Collection, you’ll need to purchase a ticket to the Zwinger Galleries. This ticket includes the Old Masters Gallery, the Mathematical and Physical Instruments museum, and the Porcelain Collection. The ticket does not include admission to Zwinger Xperience. Tickets are €14.00 for adults and €10.50 for children, students and seniors. The Gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Mondays.

History of the Porcelain Gallery

The Porcelain Collection was established in 1715 by our favourite Dresden hero, Augustus the Strong. Augustus was a collector, and his interest in porcelain exploded in the 17th century after a visit to China. The Dresden collection is the most exquisite and also the largest specialist ceramics collection in the world. There is nowhere else on earth where you can stroll through galleries of hundreds of pieces of world-class porcelain and observe the stunning baroque courtyard through the wonderfully gilded windows of the Zwinger palace.

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About the Collection

Over 20,000 porcelain pieces are housed within these walls. Augustus the Strong was obsessed with the porcelain; they even referred to his addiction as Maladie de porcelain, and often he was heard to refer to the stuff as “white gold.” Long after his death, his family and those who oversaw the gallery protected it with the same passion, which is why all these delicate pieces managed to survive the bombing of Dresden. Thanks to their protectors, these pieces were kept safe until the war ended.

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Highlights of the Collection

One of the most iconic pieces in the gallery is the Dragoon Vases. These were made famous after Augustus the Strong exchanged a regiment of dragoons for this porcelain set from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. They are classic white porcelain accented with that bright blue engravings.

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But Augustus wasn’t happy waiting for this collection to be filled from China; we wanted a porcelain factory right there in Saxony. So in 1708, Johann Friedrich Böttger and Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus helped establish the first porcelain factory in Germany, in Meissen. Meissen became one of the most sought-after kinds of porcelain in the world.

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Dresden Style

In 1850, there were over 200 decorating studios in Dresden, painting the various creations made in the porcelain factories. From these studies came a distinctive “Dresden” style of porcelain design. This was a combination of Meissen and Viennese styles. Dresden porcelain was unique was they made their pieces by pouring liquid porcelain into plaster moulds. This resulted in a thinner, hollow and lightweight final product and therefore was less costly to produce and ship. But what made the Dresden porcelain unique was the addition of lace to the figurines in 1770. Designers would add a small amount of lace around the collars or sleeves of porcelain figures. Then they started to create elaborate skirts and dresses as well.

Dresden porcelain was also replete with flowers adorning the gowns, hair and basis of these figures. The Dresden artists were famous for creating large group scenes, portraying life in court in the 18th century. In these scenes, elaborately dressed ladies danced with courtiers, and musicians played their instruments alongside them.

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Saxon Porcelain

But Saxon porcelain wasn’t merely cute court scenes; They also created traditional pieces covered in mythology or Rocco drills. The Meissen porcelain makers also loved sculpture. This was a challenge for them, breaking out of making simple vases or small porcelain figurines. These were almost life-size creations monkeys and lions, eagles and even a peacock. These are all now on display in the gallery, house in their special room dedicated to these creations.

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One of my favourite pieces in the exhibit was this HUGE gazebo scene. The enormous baroque roof, complete with cherubs peering down off the sides, is held up with these little columns, beautifully decorated with climbing vines and roses.

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Vincennes porcelain bouquet

Another one of the most interesting pieces in the gallery for me was the Vincennes porcelain bouquet. Vincennes porcelain was established in 1740 in the disused Royal Château de Vincennes, east of Paris. The group of flowers is almost ethereal in nature; not humans’ hands could be so dedicated to creating these undying pieces of life is fantastic. The bouquet includes metal stems and foliage, and the flowers stand on a bright white porcelain base decorated with the vase and two little figurine scenes on each side. One can only imagine looking after such a precious piece of porcelain.

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All in all, the Porcelain Gallery is an excellent collection and a must-see for anyone visiting Dresden. It is not only a visual stunner but also tells you a lot about the history of Dresden through Porcelain.

The post Ultimate Guide to Exploring Dresden’s Amazing Porcelain Gallery Museum first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.