Can a porcelain plate tell the story of several generations, in which the luxury of great magnates is interwoven with the grey, post-war everyday life? The Silesian Cultural Centre in Nakło Śląskie cordially invites you to a unique exhibition featuring a single artefact with an extraordinary history.
The exhibition not only sheds light on the material legacy of one of Upper Silesia’s most powerful families – the Henckel von Donnersmarcks – but, above all, demonstrates just how fragile and yet remarkably enduring the witnesses to our history can be.
The star of the exhibition is an original plate, decorated with a coat of arms, commissioned by the Donnersmarck family. Although today it delights with its craftsmanship, its post-war history sounds almost unbelievable…
The plate was probably created in one of the renowned workshops as a symbol of the prestige, wealth and high social standing of the palace’s owners. After the Second World War, this unique work of art ended up in a courtyard in Gliwice, where for years… it was used to drain potatoes.
Recognising the object’s uniqueness, Mrs Zofia Malina’s grandmother saved it by swapping it for an ordinary, run-of-the-mill plate. Years later, the artefact was correctly identified and donated free of charge to the collection of the palace in Nakło Śląskie.
The main narrative is complemented by two display cases containing other unique examples of aristocratic porcelain from Europe’s most famous workshops. Particular attention is drawn to an intricately crafted jug with a lid, decorated with the von Schwerin family coat of arms, and a platter dedicated to the dynasty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, illustrating the wide reach and prestige of heraldic commissions of the past. Next to these is a cup bearing the image of Emperor Franz Joseph, a perfect example of commemorative porcelain that accompanied the most important historical figures of that era.
The exhibition, curated in collaboration with leading experts on Silesian porcelain – Irena and Roman Gatys (authors of the Encyclopaedia of Silesian Porcelain) – allows visitors to immerse themselves in a bygone era.
Thanks to the exhibition, visitors can discover the hidden meanings of coats of arms and the extremely demanding decorative techniques that transformed everyday objects into true works of art.
The exhibit on display is not merely a fragile luxury item. Above all, it is proof of just how valuable it is to be mindful of the history around us. Thanks to the generosity of Ms Zofia Malina, this extraordinary plate has returned to where it belongs – the palace salons – to tell its story to future generations.
Venue: The Silesian Culture Centre in Nakło Śląskie
The exhibition was made possible thanks to a donation from Ms Zofia Malina and the expert support of Irena and Roman Gatys; the Hencel von Donnersmarck family coats of arms were used courtesy of Mr Arkadiusz Kuzio-Podrucki.
The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00–18:00 (last admission at 17:00).
Admission fee for the temporary exhibition only: 5 zł