If you’re are an aficionado of ceramics and happen to find yourself on the Danish isle of Funen, then you have got to see the CLAY Museum, beautifully located in Middelfart just opposite the bridge to Jutland.
The Museum have a permanent exhibition and diverse special exhibitions. The museum has since it was opened in 1994 established a unique permanent collection of Danish and international ceramic art.
From the permanent exhibition:
When we were visiting the current exhibitions on show were Tales of the Figurine and Keramiske veje 2018 (Ceramic Roads 2018) – United and apart. Ceramic Roads is a Danish studio pottery exhibition group, which has been at it for 33 years.
Tales of the Figurine
As explained on the homepage of Clay the figurine originates from the confectioner’s table decorations. In Denmark, The Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory began making small figures intended for the dinner table in the late 18th century.
Here they could serve as conversation topics for the guests.
At that time, the porcelain figurines were reserved for the king, the nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie.
By the end of the 19th century, new colorful glazes and firing techniques allowed the figurines to appear more naturalistic. The range of motifs was now expanding to include wildlife and livestock and, gradually, motifs from everyday life begin to emerge. Children, peasants and craftsmen were especially popular motifs. The figurine stands for a long and proud tradition and is still subject to exciting new interpretations.
The Treasury – The Royal Copenhagen Collection
In 2010 the Museum have been donated the entire collection of ceramics of Royal Copenhagen consisting of 55.000 pieces, about 1000 pieces are on display in The Treasury. This is a truly outstanding exhibition of 240 years of ceramic history. You will se unique pieces manufactured for Royals and Nobility
But, also more mundane earthenware services and figurines in porcelain and stoneware including pieces from Bing & Grøndahl, Aluminia, Saxbo etc.
Above Stoneware from (l to r) Arne Bang, Carl Halier and Saxbo.
In my opinion some of the most exquisite pocelain were designed by Pietro Krohn and Effie Hegermann Lindencrone.
Keramiske veje 2018
The exhibition did have some highlights. My favourites were:
In the the park of the Museum a number ceramic sculptures have been placed, amongst them a gigantic vase made by the Danish artist Peter Brandes. If you feel like making a vase, why not make it 5 meters high, with a weight of 7,5 tonnes? By the way, it took three months to fire it. It was originally made for the world exhibition in Seville in 1992.
Globus Antik 