A Visit to a Unique Porcelain Museum in Kyiv

During the war, many museums in Ukraine have closed or reduced their operations. Some fear for the safety of their exhibits, while others are unable to organize security for visitors.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. However, some continue to develop and, even during the war, do everything they can to survive and attract visitors. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post One of them is the Museum of Porcelain Figures in Kyiv, which has thousands of exhibits ranging from works by the most famous premium brands, to unique historical artifacts from areas of fighting in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post “It all started with a small figurine made of Spanish porcelain that my wife Halyna and I bought on the Spanish island of Mallorca.” Since then, we became so passionate about the idea of collecting Lladro Spanish porcelain – in our opinion, the best in the world – that we literally began hunting for it across countries and continents. A little later, deciding to demonstrate to everyone that Spanish porcelain really is the best in the world, we began supplementing the collection with works by other famous manufacturers,” says the museum’s founder, journalist, and longtime editor-in-chief of the Fakty i Kommentari (Facts and Commentaries) newspaper, Oleksandr Shvets. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post The main body of the collection consists of works by the Spanish porcelain manufacturer Lladro. Some of the pieces here are genuine masterpieces of art and were produced in limited editions – only a few hundred exist worldwide, each piece coming with its own certificate. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post “It is extremely difficult and delicate work. But it captivates the eye,” Shvets says. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post The floral compositions make the greatest impression – each petal here is also created separately, while the large composition is fired inside, after which the petals change color. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post “Imagine how precisely this has to be calculated so that during the heat treatment of the porcelain, the color of each petal turns out exactly as the artist needs it to be,” Shvets points out. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post For comparison, the museum also has halls dedicated to European and Asian porcelain, which are more historical in nature. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post Thus, the European section features collections by masters from Austria, England, France, Italy, and Germany, including Royal Daulton, Royal Vienna, Velstadt, and Capodimonte pieces dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post The Asian hall is particularly impressive for its historical Japanese vases, which have survived for more than 200 years – one of the largest collections of Japanese art in Ukraine. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post Some of the parts look so fresh and vital even after centuries have passed. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post There is also a Ukrainian hall, where many works by outstanding masters and various enterprises are displayed, including seemingly similar pieces from the Soviet period that nevertheless feature quite different details. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post The Petrykivka painting on many of them, even in mass-produced pieces, is executed to the highest standard and serves as a good example for those who want to become acquainted with traditional Ukrainian art. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post The most amazing thing is that visitors continue to come to the museum despite the war. Shvets is convinced that art is a part of culture and memory that must be cherished, including during difficult times. Sergii Kostezh is a Kyiv Post Special Correspondent. He has worked for various Ukrainian TV channels as a reporter from the field and war zone.