Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg
Immortal Beauty
A truly individual rose, conceived and bred exclusively for Rolls-Royce in the English countryside by award-winning Harkness Roses, was flown to the Nymphenburg Palace in Bavaria, Southern Germany, to awaiting master artisans from world-renowned porcelain manufacturer Nymphenburg. Here, the rose was examined in its varying stages, from bud to lush flower in full bloom, and crafted freely by hand in the finest of porcelain for the elegant sanctuary of ‘The Gallery’.
For this collaboration, a new porcelain formula was developed in the manufactory in Munich, Germany. The development process alone lasted three months in order to create porcelain as fine as the petal of the rose itself. The range of roses depicted shows the varying stages of the life of this rose, with some of the most elaborate blossoms consisting of up to 80 individual elements freely shaped by hand.
The delicate aesthetic is accented in a contemporary way by the marriage of black and white, a pairing uniquely perfected for this artwork. Until now, the processing of white and black porcelain paste has been strictly separated in the manufactory’s production process, as even the smallest residue of black paste on a craftsperson’s tools, invisible to the naked eye, leads to impurities that only become visible after firing. Black porcelain had previously been held for the preserve of casting, meaning the black paste had to be developed to ensure it was as malleable as its white counterpart. For this unique design, white and black paste has been created in parallel, in the same soft state, at the workstation of Anton Hörl, a master craftsman for Nymphenburg for over 40 years.
But each individual blossom only acquires its final appearance when it is fired. Since the porcelain changes during the firing process, and also shrinks by 17 per cent, individual firing supports have had to be made. Also made from porcelain, these supported the blossoms and leaves, preventing the draw of gravity. The white and black bisque porcelain has been fired in a single process for the first time, requiring the expert knowledge of the Nyphenburg kiln foremen, who have developed a process with different firing curves, which achieve an optimal result in just one firing process.
Anton Hörl, Master Porcelain Maker, Nymphenburg, commented, “Nature is simply perfect and imitating it is a challenge. We as artists have to ensure that our emulation does nature justice. I wanted to feel the tension of each individual blossom. The observer must be able to recognise not only the variety, but also its unique character.”
The rose, bred for Rolls-Royce by Philip Harkness of Harkness Roses, was developed for its strength, resilience and intricate bloom. The flower is large, opening from a plump rounded bud into a large cupped bloom. The rose is strong with an admirable resistance to disease.
Sina Maria Eggl, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, said, “Our search for the quintessential English rose led us to award-winning Harkness Roses. Here we collaboratively bred a rose worthy of its newly found immortal being. Nymphenburg and Rolls-Royce engaged in an artistic dialogue, allowing an advancement of existing methods of manufacture and shifting the limits of what’s possible.”
Rose breeder Philip Harkness of Harkness Roses, added, “A rose has the ability to captivate you on many levels. It is a thing of beauty, it can stimulate the senses with wonderful perfume, the soft touch of the petals or the rasping pain from a thorn. It touches our emotions, signifies love and appears in some of our finest poetry. How can a simple flower live up to this expectation? The new rose that Rolls-Royce has commissioned makes easy work of the task. Observe the glory of the bloom. There can be few more enjoyable experiences, thanks to the unending generosity and diversity of nature captured in one single rose.”
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