"Mining and art" temporary exhibition
On the first day of the conference, in the evening, the opening of a temporary exhibition 'Mining and Art. Middelschulte porcelain collection' will take place at the Saltworks Castle.
This is a unique and extremely valuable collection of "mining" porcelain, owned by the foundation: "Achim Und Beate Midelschulte-Stiftung", which is on daily display at the German Mining Museum in Bochum. Thanks to the enormous kindness of the founders Beate and Achim Middelschulte and the support of the previous and current management of the German Mining Museum, a temporary presentation of this collection in our museum is possible.
"White gold" is what salt was called in the past, but also the porcelain produced at the "Koniglich-Polnischen und Kurfurstlichen Porzellan-Manufaktut". It is to August II the Strong and his son August III, who were both Saxon Electors and Polish Kings (from 1697 to 1763), that we owe the invention of Meissen porcelain and the development of the Meissen manufactory. During their reign, the operations of the Wieliczka and Bochnia mines were profoundly reformed.
The exhibition of this delicate and refined art presented at the Saltworks Castle is a strong contrast to the hard, dirty work in the mines. These are opposites that are united by a single theme. The beauty of the miners' ceremonial costumes while idealising the daily struggles of the mining brothers. We can confront some of the depictions, especially of tools, but also pieces of equipment, with the originals in the museum exhibition, 135 metres underground. We are convinced that the presented collection will arouse not only your interest but also your admiration for the old masters.