[IFZ, Alexander II] Deep plate, L. 24.8 cm, H. 6.5 cm, porcelain, AII green mark under a crown, two-point mark, old ...

[IFZ, Alexander II] Deep plate, L. 24.8 cm, H. 6.5 cm, porcelain, AII green mark under a crown, two-point mark, old Soviet restoration crack, light traces of use. Publication.

https://raskolnikovgallery.com

The Imperial Porcelain Factory is one of the oldest in Europe, the first and one of the largest enterprises in Russia for the production of artistic porcelain products. Located in St. Petersburg. Initially it was called the Porcelain Manufactory, since 1765 - the Imperial Porcelain Factory, since 1917 - the State Porcelain Factory (ГФЗ - an abbreviation of the hallmark), in 1925, in connection with the 200th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the factory was named after M. V. Lomonosov; the enterprise received an official name - the Leningrad Porcelain Factory named after M.V. Lomonosov, along with which the short form - Lomonosov Porcelain Factory (LFZ - the abbreviation of the brand was also interpreted as the Leningrad Porcelain Factory) was used - until 2005.

In the XVIII century in Russia there was a high interest in porcelain. On February 1, 1744, the Chamberlain of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, Baron Nikolai Korf, who was on a diplomatic mission in Stockholm, concluded an agreement with Christopher Gunger on behalf of the Empress, who undertook to organize porcelain production in St. Petersburg. The organization of the future Porcelain Manufactory and its supervision were entrusted to the manager of the office of Her Imperial Majesty, Baron Ivan Cherkasov.

Gunger received material support and freedom of action, but was not so knowledgeable as to organize the production of porcelain from scratch. During his entire stay in Russia (1744-1748), he made only half a dozen cups of dubious quality: they had a curved shape, and their color was dark. Cherkasov faced a problem: to look for a new master abroad or to entrust the production to Dmitry Vinogradov, a Russian chemist, an associate of M. Lomonosov, enrolled in the manufactory by a personal decree of the Empress in November 1744 and from the very beginning assigned to Gunger for training. The choice of Cherkasov turned out to be successful: Vinogradov was able to establish the production of high-quality porcelain in St. Petersburg.