Art: New Order in Meissen

Ever since the early 18th Century the East German cathedral town of Meissen (pop. 48,000) has been famed for fine china. Little damaged during World War II, it went on, under the Russian thumb, producing traditional luxury ware, even though a single Meissen cup cost upwards of 50 East marks—more than the average weekly salary of an East German workman. Last week Meissen was busy reorienting itself to the new order in East Germany. In place of its world-famed baroque “Red Dragon,” “Green Ivy” and “Onion” (blue & white) patterns, it was setting out to shift “without artistic loss … to the sound, lively and folk-based realism of our time.” Among the approved new themes: “work, sports and reconstruction.” But Meissen may also continue to make an occasional fancy item for export purposes, such as the elaborate porcelain group entitled Victory of the People that it recently forwarded to the Kremlin.