Among the more than 26 thousand items of porcelain collection of the Museum-estate “Kuskovo” there is one low-key exhibit in the middle of the XVIII century — a small round white rates (then called sweets bowls) in the form of fruit of Chinese peach with lid, decorated with moulded flowers and leaves. Its value is that it is the earliest surviving dated pieces of Russian porcelain.
the Tragic story of its Creator, Dmitry Vinogradov, 300th anniversary of birth is celebrated this year in a joint material mos.ru and the Agency “Moscow”.
the Technology of making porcelain was developed in China, and his glory is reflected not in one language in the world. In English to refer to China two words are used: porcelain and china. The Russian word “porcelain” also refers to China, though, and hit him from the Persian language, where the word “pallor” — translated “son of heaven” — passed one of the titles of the Chinese Emperor.
Solve the mystery of the Chinese artists succeeded in the early eighteenth century German alchemist, Johann Friedrich Böttger, working in Dresden. His discovery led to the establishment of the oldest on the continent Meissen porcelain manufactory, which brought the glory of Saxony and fabulous incomes Saxon elector and king of Poland August II the Strong. The reflection of these times are today seen in the significant collections of the Dresden museums that attract millions of tourists, as well as gilded equestrian statue of Augustus the Strong, life-size, installed in Dresden in 1736.
the Saxons tried to keep the discovery Böttger secret, but the European monarchs made considerable efforts, including espionage and poaching craftsmen to acquire for its porcelain manufacture. XVIII century was the century European porcelain from Austria, Charles VI of Habsburg came to the Vienna manufactory, have owned the Naples of the Spanish king Charles III — Italian porcelain Capodimonte, French Louis XV Sevres manufactory.
Dreamed of your own porcelain and contemporary of Peter I. to Do his dream came true daughter, the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.
the Future Creator of Russian porcelain Dmitry Vinogradov (1720-1758) was born in Suzdal, in the family of Archpriest of the local Cathedral of the Nativity of the blessed virgin. The exact date of his birth is unknown, but the year of his birth is sometimes called 1717-St — reliable documentary evidence on this score has not survived.
In the early 1730s, his father sent him to study in Moscow in the first Russian higher education institution, the open end of the XVII century under Zaikonospassky monastery Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy. Also called “Spasskie school” because the curriculum was divided into eight schools (classes) that the disciples took place with the development of knowledge. In addition to the languages mentioned in the title, they were taught arithmetic, history, geography, rhetoric, philosophy, theology and other Sciences.
the Academy Vinogradov met by Michaelallisony, who was his senior by nine years. Suzdal Popovich very quickly completed the curriculum of the lower classes, and they studied side by side. Upon graduation, among the 12 graduates “in the Sciences worthy” were both sent to St. Petersburg to continue training.
In the capital, Lomonosov Vinogradov spent less than a year — both got to the three “beautiful young people”, which the Imperial Academy of Sciences was selected to receive knowledge abroad (the third was the son of EA Berg-Collegium, Gustav Ulrich raiser). They had to master the basics of chemistry, mining and metallurgy, to “state to them some use to could.”
in the Autumn of 1736, the young people, which has allocated 300 rubles for travel expenses and accommodation, sea went to Germany. It was assumed that if “they will be required to go to the end of those Sciences and watching the most glorious chemical laboratories in England, Holland and France”, then so be it, but it was limited by two German universities in Marburg and Freiberg.
In the first, they spent about three years. Having mastered the German language, which was carried out teaching, Russian students listened to lectures by well-known scientist-scientist Christian Wolff, who taught at the University of 16 subjects and was in correspondence with the Imperial Academy of Sciences and Peter I.
in the Summer of 1739, upon completion of the course, Vinogradov has moved in with his classmates in Freiberg, a well-known mining town, where they came to the mountain of the adviser Johann Friedrich Henkel. His title he received for the successful chemical experiments made for the Meissen porcelain factory.
the Academy twice cut the contents of erring fellows, besides the funds now goes to their mentor, was not light-minded. In the end, Lomonosov Henkel did not get along and in the spring of 1740 left the companions, voluntarily leaving Freiberg.
Vinogradov learning old Professor benefited. Next year for unimpeded access to the mines and the mines of Saxony they issued him a passport. It was stated that “Demetrius Vinogradov” has high growth and hair dark brown is his only documented features.
Spending on overseas training for a total of about five years, in 1744 Vinogradov and Reiser returned home. In Petersburg Dmitry brilliantly withstood the certification in Berg-Collegium received the title of Bergmeister (mining engineer) and directed to go to Olonets “mountain science”. However�� in Karelia the last student to go was not in time.
5 Nov 1744 by decree of the Cabinet of Her Imperial Majesty Elizabeth Vinogradov was dismissed from Berg-Collegium, and added to the office entrusted to him “some things”.
Finding a knowledgeable foreigner for the organization of porcelain production in Russia was already under Peter I, but it did not budge. The interest of the father to the “dish of kings” was shared by Elizabeth, ascended the throne in 1741.
Two years later, with her permission, the contract was signed with the lived in Stockholm German christovam Conrad Gunger, who recommended themselves as masters of China. He told me that for some time he lived in Dresden, was friends with the founder of the manufactory of Meissen by Böttger and was privy to the secret composition of porcelain.
under the Treaty, the German was “to establish in St. Petersburg manufactory for making Dutch ware, and also pure porcelain, so as aforesaid made in Saxony”. For this Gunger uttered itself in boutique — coating all his debts in Sweden, which in terms of rubles amounted to about two thousand, even thousand annual salary, an apartment with heating and lighting, travel with his family to Petersburg at public expense and the office of the Director of a porcelain factory. Export it from Sweden, secretly, on military ships, as holder of the secret knowledge of arcanist, as it was then called such people.
the device and the oversight laid out in the late 1744 near St. Petersburg, the Nevsky porcelain, i.e. a porcelain, textiles, the Empress instructed the Manager of the office of Her Imperial Majesty to Baron Ivan Cherkasov. He was assigned to the newly Gunger Bergmeister Vinogradova, so that, on the one hand, looking after the foreigner on the other — would discover his secret.
However, to find out there was nothing Gunger was a charlatan. More than three years he spent on fruitless experiments, ruining relations with Vinogradov and Cherkasov. In the end, tired of the empty promises the Baron dismissed the foreigner and put in charge of the manufactory of the Russian specialist.
the Period of activity of the Neva manufactory from 1747 in 1758 called Vinogradovsky. Unlike Hunger, its new head experimented not blindly, but deliberately changed the proportions of the materials used and modes of firing, all the results were analyzed and codes recorded in a special log, as required by Cherkasov. Using Gzhel white clay, Olonets quartz and alabaster Kazan, Vinogradov received suitable for the manufacture of the porcelain composition.
First the items were small because of the size of the horn for firing available in the manufactory. Range of early products included porcelain buttons, knobs for walking sticks, Smoking pipes, bells. Large demand for snuff boxes of various forms, which Cherkasov was presented to the Empress, and she gave them particularly close.
larger items began to produce in 1756, when Vinogradov project built a new horn. Thanks to him, established the first large porcelain ensemble — table and dessert service for Empress Elisabeth, called “Own”. Part of the items from the service of the Empress is also stored in Kuskovo.
the Inside of shells twisted. How was built and decorated a “Grotto” in Customistation, Kuskovo and Lublin. Study the theatrical past three Moscow estates
unfortunately, the founder of porcelain production in Russia, lived for 40 years. Even during study abroad talented chemist addicted to wine, and while working at the manufactory passion turned into a disease. Cherkasov, though appreciated Vinogradova as a scientist specialist, especially with him not on ceremony, was put to him the guards, who even put him on a chain. “I threaten to knit and beat for no reason,” complained Vinogradov in a letter to Baron in 1752.
He never started a family, was deprived of the opportunity to see relatives. Nothing is known that Vinogradov somehow encouraged. Loneliness and frustration, apparently, only worsened his mental state, which just screams the inscription he made in the diary in Latin: “Now I am affected by the weight of labors endured. A short youth was, before I became an old man.”
21 Aug 1758 Vinogradov suddenly fell ill. The examining doctor found his condition so dangerous that the patient immediately invited the priest. Four days later he died.
Vinogradov was buried in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky (later Varvarovska) cemetery in St. Petersburg. In the first years of Soviet rule, the cemetery was closed for burials, the cemetery and the Church destroyed. With it were destroyed the graves of many artists who left their mark in the history of Russian porcelain, including the last resting place of Dmitry Ivanovich Vinogradov.
