ELEGANCE, HUNGARICUM: HEREND
An exclusive porcelain exhibition realized by the world’s largest porcelain manufactory
12.10.2016 – 05.03.2017.
Elegance can be innate or it can be learnt. A lady can radiate elegance but so can objects as well. Especially when they can fascinate us with their beauty being like some treasure. We can safely declare that the even today handmade procelain masterpieces representing Herend traditions made by the largest porcelain manufactory in the world radiate elegance. This is the Herend Porcelain!
At a distance of almost 1.000 kilometers from here, in Hungary, next to the largest lake in Central Europe, lake Balaton, there is a small town, Herend, where the most beautiful porcelain pieces have been made for 190 years. Today this name means handicraft, excellence, perfection, tradition and innovation. There has been a long way to go...
In the 19th century only the aristocracy had porcelain items. The then leader of the Herend manufactory, Mór Fischer could reproduce in great detail the precious porcelain pieces arriving to Europe on the Silk Road. The small manufactory founded by Stingl Vince in 1826 started prospering under his management. And what’s more, in 1842 even Lajos Kossuth appreciated Herend porcelain and soon it achieved international success as well: in 1851 in London at the first World Exhibition Queen Victoria was so fascinated by the Herend pattern presenting butterflies and China roses that she ordered a huge Herend china set with this pattern. The memory of this significant event is still preserved by the most famous Herend pattern known as the Victoria pattern showcased at this exhibition as well. Since then emperors and kings have been appreciating Herend porcelain. They esteem and admire the inimitable charm of craftwork. From the first touch of the material and until the last stroke of the brush the production and decoration of Herend porcelain represent a special celebration of „handmaking”, of the manufacturer’s art. Today – with a 190 years old history and knowlege – the Manufactory can produce 16.000 different shapes and almost 4.000 different patterns and the combinations of these. We can safely declare: there is a huge choice of products and opportunities are almost unlimited. And these porcelain pieces radiate elegance and perfection not only in the homes and on the tables of kings and aristocrats, but Herend porcelain has also become a decorative item of every home built in every style on every continent in almost sixty countries and it is preferred by all ages.
But as elegance is varied and complex, so is Herend. Our porcelain manufactory – besides creating and preserving values - makes its duty to pass on its values to the next generation. Within our cultural mission we present in Hungary and in the whole world the national values represented by Herend porcelain. Herend Brand is the symbol of high quality, values, luxury and elegance. Herend Porcelain Manufactory has been a Hungarian Heritage since 2001. According to a survey conducted by the Luxury Institute in New York in 2006 Herend was the most popular porcelain brand on the American market. The appreciation of Herend Brand is also shown by the fact that in 2011 the world’s most famous luxury brand association, the French Comité Colbert opened its doors to Herend porcelain. In 2013 we considered a great honour the fact that Herend Porcelain became a Hungaricum! These Hungarian and international appreciations acknowledge Herend’s excellent brand building strategies.
There is a clear future plan for Herend: it has to maintain traditions, to produce handmade porcelain pieces, to renew and to take the world by surprise with its innovative ideas. Our uniqueness is one of the main aspects of elegance. Because Unique is always exceptional and inimitable.
According to our cultural mission we organize Herend porcelain exhibitions not only in Hungary, but sometimes also abroad. After presenting our porcelain pieces in the Kremlin in Moscow or in Carszkoje Szelo’s palace in Saint Petersburg, in the Japan Fukuyama City Museum, in the Ariana Museum in Geneva, in the international Porcelain Museum in Hohenberg, in Szabadka, in Vienna, in Cluj-Napoca, in Italy, in the Slovakian castles (Betlér, Bajmóc) or in the National Museum in Bratislava now we return to the heart of Transylvania. With a huge, exclusive selection of porcelain items! A similar exhibition – regarding the number and the value of the items - was organised a long time ago and only in a few places. We present here an exclusive choice of carefully selected historical objects and masterpieces. This is elegance! The best of it! We will be presenting our values in Szeklerland and in Székelyudvarhely for more months!
And elegance is eternal! Recently, on the occasion of our 190th birthday in the great hall of the Manufactory we have presented a classical street name plate. The street-number consists of two parts: 1826, the year of our foundation and an arrow into infinity. We believe and profess that we have to preserve our heritage and to pass it on to the next generation and to pass more than we have received. Be a part of almost two centuries of elegance, of the elegant Herend Porcelain, be part of the treasure!!
Herend – Székelyudvarhely, 12. October 2016
Herendi Porcelánmanufaktúra Zrt.
