Antique Teapot

Country: France

Date of establishment: 1840

Sculptor: Jacob Petit

Height (cm): 23,5

Porcelain Story

I thought with this post to accompany the presentation of a unique porcelain piece, created by the hands of a brilliant French craftsman Jacob Petit (1796-1868), who began working in the manufacture in Sevres, and then, together with his brother, acquired a factory in Fontainebleau and settled in Paris.

I am astonished at our people. After all, you can't even imagine something like that. In Ukraine for more than a year there is a horrible war, which took and maimed hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, destroyed dozens of big cities, made refugees millions of our fellow citizens, and we are giving excursions in the museum. Long ones. Almost two hours. With air-raid sirens wailing. In a cold room. Often in the light of lanterns. And with thermoses of pre-prepared boiling water to warm visitors with hot tea and coffee.

When I look at the faces of these people, who come to us from different parts of the country, which has gone through the most terrible ordeal in its history, I am amazed at their amazing fortitude and spiritual strength. Many of them come here not so much to plunge into the atmosphere of stunning beauty of porcelain wonders, collected all over the world and brought to Ukraine, as if for a short time to forget the tormenting horrors of the current trials, as to restore the inner balance, to feed the energy of unique art - and with new strength to return to the sobering reality. Of course, each of us will remember this difficult time in our own way. Some of us will remember it as a time of unending grief.

In front of my eyes, through their war-torn hearts, I see how people become lighter and kinder, thanks to a warm wave of unmatched beauty and love. Especially when the "Divine" hall has a view of St. Andrew's Church and other Kiev churches in the windows. Especially when the "voice of porcelain" which we unexpectedly found in one of thousands compositions in the museum collection merges with the ringing of church bells outside the windows. Especially when the delicate chime resonates in the soul of every person lucky enough to touch this miracle.

However, it also happens in another way. All sorts of people come to the museum. Including influential and very famous ones. Loudly expressing bewilderment at the fact that there is no one who is able to help us solve the communal problems and make the museum accessible to everyone. They promise to improve the situation as soon as possible, to "bring" "ministers and ambassadors" to us, so that everyone at last can see the strength of the Ukrainian spirit, which does not resign itself to the enemy neither on the battlefield, nor deep in the rear, where new theatres and museums are being built instead of critical infrastructure damaged by explosions, where new theatres and museums are being built instead of the ones destroyed by enemy missiles. In wartime.

By the way, listening to the boisterous reasoning of some such visitors, who talk over and over again about themselves in the museum where they came "as if" to see something new for themselves, I am constantly reminded of an old Zen proverb. A well-known professor visited a master of tea ceremonies and could not stop the eulogy he was receiving for his own art. The master decided to teach him a lesson. He poured hot tea into his cup and didn't stop when water started to run over the rim of the cup and slowly drip onto the tea table.

-- What are you doing? -- surprised the guest. -- The cup is already full!

-- Well, now you understand that a person who seeks new knowledge and does not empty his cup from the accumulated feelings and sensations cannot perceive new things...