China-Europe - Porcelain between two worlds

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company introduced Chinese porcelain to the market. This was a sensation for Europe; it was another 100 years before Meissen succeeded in producing real porcelain. The blue and white wares or those decorated with coloured overglaze enamel painting revolutionized European taste culture and inspired the Baroque period.

In addition to porcelain from the imperial manufactories, the exhibition presents wares from commercial kilns that were produced for the domestic market as well as for export. China and Europe can look back on a unique tradition of mutual inspiration.

The selected exhibits in the exhibition come from the private collection of Chinese art of Otmar Kurrus (1929-2012), which was donated to the Confucius Institute at the University campus Freiburg in August 2011. With around 1,100 objects, the entire collection is one of the most extensive private collections of Chinese art in southern Germany.