"The Luxury of Clay: Porcelain Past and Present" opens February 19

Photo credit: Coffee pot from a tea and coffee service, attributed to the Imperial Porcelain Factory, about 1800–15. Photographed by Edward Owen. A Queen and I, Roberto Lugo, 2018. Loan from Jacqueline Tibbs Copeland and René Copeland. Photographed by John Dean.

Enter a world of opulence and reinvention.

The discovery of porcelain in Europe is one of innovation and intrigue—one that shaped the luxury goods market in the 18th century. The craze for "white gold," as porcelain was known, left a lasting impact on the art world. This special exhibition will be the first at Hillwood to explore and present the full range of hard-paste porcelain production represented in its collection alongside relevant loans from museums and private collections.

Featuring more than 140 objects, the exhibition will trace the remarkable development of porcelain, from its origins in China to its discovery in Europe in the early 18th century, placing these historic pieces in dialogue with contemporary creative porcelain inventions, from artists including Bouke de Vries, Chris Antemann, Cindy Sherman, and Roberto Lugo. Unearth the journey of porcelain, through the finest examples of vases, teapots, figurines, services, and more.

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