Glazing
The most common method of glazing is dipping the piece into a glaze bath. The porous body absorbs the water from the glaze, while the solid components remain on the surface as a thin, even layer. This technique is especially well suited for tableware and larger vessels.
Glaze Bath
The glaze is a suspension of finely ground raw materials similar to the porcelain body. In addition to quartz and kaolin, important components include fluxes such as chalk and dolomite. During the glaze firing at approximately 1,400°C, these materials fuse into a glass-like, transparent layer. The glaze not only creates the characteristic brilliance but also gives the porcelain its final strength and resistance to liquids and mechanical stress.
Decorations such as the iconic “Onion Pattern,” which are applied under the glaze to the raw body, are especially well protected by this technique. The same applies to the cobalt-blue “Crossed Swords,” the trademark of the MEISSEN Porcelain Manufactory, which are safely protected from wear and manipulation.
Glaze Mist
Figurines and delicate porcelain pieces are often glazed by spraying them with a fine glaze mist. To ensure that every area is evenly covered, the glaze is lightly tinted beforehand—usually blue. This allows the artisan to immediately see during the spraying process whether the entire object has been coated evenly and whether any gaps remain.
The glaze therefore fulfills several important functions: it makes the porcelain dense and stable, creates a brilliant sheen, protects the decorations underneath, and provides the ideal base for applied colors and gold embellishments. Without careful glazing, neither the distinctive aesthetic of Meissen porcelain nor the durability of its artful decorations would be possible.
Underglaze Painting
Applied to the body before the second firing, underglaze colors fuse with the porcelain at temperatures of up to 1,400°C. Only a few colorants—such as the metal oxide cobalt—can withstand the heat.
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Applied to glazed porcelain, this painting technique reveals its brilliance during the subsequent color firing. Meissen painters specialize in individual areas of the rich decorative palette.
Discover nowTrademark
Since 1722, the Crossed Swords from the Saxon electoral coat of arms have marked the authenticity and quality of Meissen porcelain. As Europe’s first trademark, they continue to be applied by hand to this day.
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