EARLY MEISSEN COLLECTION WILL OPEN AT THE FRICK COLLECTION MARCH 25

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NEW YORK CITY — The Frick Collection will present “The Arnhold Collection Of Meissen Porcelain, 1710–50,” on view March 25–June 29.

Although the formula for manufacturing true porcelain was developed in China by the Sixth Century, it remained a mystery in the West until its discovery in 1709 by alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682–1719) under the patronage of August II, elector of Saxony and king of Poland.

The following year, the king established a royal manufactory outside of Dresden in the town of Meissen, and the porcelain created there has been known by that name ever since. Early Meissen porcelain and its decoration remained experimental into the 1740s.

Examples from this period are rare and highly sought-after. The most important surviving pre-World War II gathering of early Meissen in Germany, assembled by Lisa and Heinrich Arnhold, remains in the hands of their descendants and continues to grow today.

Although well-known to specialists, this collection has never before been the subject of a major public exhibition, and a selection of approximately 100 examples will be presented exclusively at the Frick in the spring of 2008. At the same time, the first illustrated and scholarly book on the collection will be published by Dan Giles Ltd.

The Frick Collection is at 1 East 70th Street, near Fifth Avenue. For information, 212-288-0700 or www.frick.org.