Capodimonte Porcelain History

Capodimonte porcelain, sometimes written as Capo di Monte porcelain or Capo-di-Monte porcelain was named after the factory's location in the Woods of Capodimonte near Naples. The Italian translator "Mount head" or maybe "top of the mountain." 

Capodimonte porcelain evolved as yet another expression of European nobility thirst for this material, the first successfully copied from the original Chinese in the early eighteenth century in Meissen in Saxony (now Germany). This hard paste porcelain, called an ample supply of kaolin, first discovered near Meissen, and later near Sevres, France, and near Fuscaldo and Paola in the Province of Catanzaro in Naples (Sicily). 

As was the case outside of Saxony, Capodimonte porcelain was originally made of soft-paste porcelain. The location of Capodimonte porcelain production moved around throughout the 18th century as a result of the history of mixed marriages in the European royal families. Charles de Bourbon was the son of Philip V of Spain, but he ascended to the Neapolitan throne as Charles VII in the 1734th Charles married the grandson of the Saxon King August II, under whose patronage the original porcelain works at Meissen were built. Charles had good reason to be inspired to produce Capodimonte porcelain on the island of Sicily, where he settled in Naples. Thus Capodimonte porcelain came into production, thanks in part to the work of Giovanni Caselli and Livio Schepers, whom King recruited from Naples Mint. The king commanded the famous Capodimonte Mark. 

As musical thrones would have it, Charles later succeeded to the Spanish throne and became Charles III of Spain. As part of the transition, like Charles, that all aspects of Capodimonte porcelain production was moved to a new factory Buen Retiro near Madrid. All aspects are back in Naples was extensively damaged not to leave any encouraging followers to capture the Sicilian production.

In another historical irony, surrendered Karl's son, Ferdinand, to Naples in 1759 by Ferdinand IV, King of Naples. Sharing his father's passion for porcelain, he built a new Capodimonte porcelain factory at the royal villa in Portici. The Capodimonte porcelain name again was Italian-based. 

Perhaps in a spirit of competitiveness as the global Ferdinand master craftsmen would produce beautiful works as a gift to his father back in Spain. Exceptional Service was also presented to other rulers, as George III of England in 1785. 

Late 18 century, Naples shares the fate of most of Europe in the coming under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte. In spite of the king to flee to other regions, CEO Domenico Venuti tried to preserve Capodimonte work in the face of French invasion. Alas, his efforts were mostly unsuccessful. 

With the lessening of the influence of Napoleon, Ferdinand was again able to return, attempts to restore Capodimonte porcelain to its former glory. Meanwhile, in 1816 the Capodimonte porcelain works declined to the point where parts of the production was sold or otherwise disseminated. Most historians mark this point as the effective end of more than 60 years of Capodimonte porcelain. Such masters as Tagliolini and others had created lasting well-known products in this period. 

The name Capodimonte porcelain is so popular and is associated with such great works, not surprisingly, has been revived in subsequent years. Again as a result of closely related European nobility, Capodimonte now mainly marketed by a British company, after which they are still working Italian origin "... from leading Italian porcelain manufacturers."