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Starting on Easter Monday, visitors can view components of a 17th-century Chinese porcelain service that once belonged to the Castle-Museum in Łańcut collection.
The service was evacuated in 1944 by Alfred III Potocki, the last Ordinate, and it was considered the most valuable collection in Europe before World War II. Joanna Garbulinska-Charchut of the Castle-Museum confirmed the significance of the service.
The Castle-Museum in Łańcut has announced a new exhibition featuring components of a 17th-century Chinese porcelain service that belonged to the collection. The exhibition, titled “Exhibition of purchased pieces of 17th-century Chinese porcelain service from the former collection of the Castle in Lancut” will run from April 10 to May 5, 2023.
The service, which was evacuated in 1944 by Alfred III Potocki, the last Ordinate, was considered the most valuable collection in Europe before World War II. Six objects purchased by the Castle-Museum in Łańcut thanks to a grant from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, as well as two objects from a private collection, will be on display.
The purchased artworks returned to Łańcut last year, after 78 years of absence. The collection’s provenance is confirmed by inventory labels with the inscription “Łańcucki Castle” which were used before World War II.
The presented objects are part of the Kang-Xi period (1662-1723) service that was gifted to King Jan III Sobieski by the Emperor of China. It was later owned by the Czartoryski family, and Princess Izabella, the wife of Stanisław Lubomirski, Grand Crown Marshal, brought the service to Łańcut.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the collection was stored in four Riesener cabinets, and some large platters were hung on the walls of the Great Dining Room on the first floor of the castle. The set comprised over one hundred pieces, including large and small platters, plates, and bowls, and each element was hand-painted. The floral decorations on the edges are similar in each piece.
The service is adorned with scenes depicting women who were clan generals from Yang, who, when widowed or when their husbands were injured, decided to defend the Song dynasty borders themselves. The scenes show them practicing their riding and military skills before going to war. The characters are a symbol of unwavering loyalty.
In 1944, the service was evacuated by Alfred III Potocki, the last Ordinate, who also evacuated other works of art from the castle. After the war, individual pieces from the set appeared at several auctions, but the Museum did not have the funds to purchase them.
The exhibition is open daily and is included in the ticket for visiting the first floor of the castle. Visitors can admire the beautiful artwork and learn more about the fascinating history of the Castle-Museum in Łańcut collection.