Esterházy Brilliance

In his welcoming speech, Dr. Gábor Várkonyi emphasized the prominent role of the Esterházy family in Hungarian history and referred to the constructive influence of Herend porcelain on the Hungary’s image.

Dr. Attila Simon, CEO of the Herend Porcelain Manufactory Ltd., emphasized that, in addition to respecting tradition, great emphasis must be placed on innovation, and feeding on our roots, along with continuous renewal, we must make Herend porcelain attractive to future generations as well. Orders from aristocrats, success at world exhibitions, professional commitment, training of apprentices, pursuit of perfection, persistence, and the ability to renew have all been necessary for Herend to become the largest and leading porcelain manufactory in the world today.

In addition to the decorative motifs of the Esterházy family, the exhibition also presents pieces made by the Manufactory for kings, queens, princes, and princesses over two centuries. The main attraction is the pattern of the Esterházy family, but you can also see an authentic copy of the Holy Crown of Hungary made of Herend porcelain, the famous Maria Teresa plate, whose shape is also a special creation, and the exhibition also features table services made for the most famous royal and noble customers, such as the Apponyi motif closely associated with the Esterházy family, and several Herend pieces painted with Victoria, Rothschild and Viennese rose patterns are displayed in a separate room.

An interesting feature of the exhibition is that in one of the rooms the famous Herend motifs also appear on clothes, evoking the atmosphere of an aristocratic ball.

The rank of the event was enhanced by the fact that the main patrons of the exhibition were Prince Antal II Galántai Esterházy XIII and his wife Princess Svetlana Esterházy.

Photos by photojournalist Tamás Griechisch