www.PaintInLimoges.com - RIGOULENE'S PORCELAIN & CHINA PAINTING WEEK-LONG EXPERIENCE IN LIMOGES, FRANCE

A word from our President

On behalf of the Rigoulene team and family, I would like to introduce you to the Rigoulene
internships' adventure.

The project was born when, after ten years spent in the United States, I came back in 1994 to France and
more particularily to the Limousin region, where I was born and brought up.

Limoges is famous worldwide for it's porcelain. It is near Limoges that, during the 18th Century, kaolin was
found: kaolin brought to porcelain the "whiteness" and transparency to light that the Chinese knew of
centuries before, and that had been discovered in Saxony at the beginning of the 18th Century by the
"alchimiste" Bottger. Following the discovery of kaolin, the region enjoyed a golden age. Our family was an
active participant in the expansion of the porcelain industry over the following two centuries. Each
generation, up to and including ours, has shared in this great adventure!

Today through our internships, our ambition is to share with others the art of painting on porcelain, together
with the history of Limoges porcelain.
The internships take place in an ancient manor, Rigoulene, which has been in our family for over 400
years.The painting teachers are of highest level, and we want our interns to get a feeling for the history of
the porcelain industry.

Life in Rigoulene is a six day experience, during which we share with our interns our passion, in a refined
setting, mixing work and leisure... a French way of life.

Laurence Bouchayer - President - "Les Amis de Rigoulene"

Some history…

Limoges is famous worldwide for its porcelain. Let us start with a brief history of Porcelain
It is near Limoges that during the 18th century Kaolin was found: Kaolin this pure white calcareous ground brought to porcelain the whiteness and transparency to light
that the Chinese knew of centuries before. In the 13th century, Marco Polo discovers it during his travel to the Far East. He gives it the name of Porcelain, even though
this is the name of the “mother of pearl” found on seashells. Thereafter plates star showing up on the tables of Europe, replacing little by little the pieces of bread, on
which meat was laid. They are made of clay and precious metals from India and also beautiful ceramic from China, brought back by travelers. A need is born.
In the 17th century, the British and the Dutch take over the trade and start their famous East India Companies. In 1664, under Colbert, France starts its own “Compagnie
Francaise des Indes Orientales”. It imports thousands and thousands of porcelain pieces from China, most of them table ware that are bought by rich people. Europe
tries to manufacture itself this wonderful ceramic. But however hard he tries, it fells for lack of the one essential component, the mysterious component: that seems to
only be found in china. If it cannot copy the Chinese Porcelain, Europe will try and get close with a near porcelain called: Porcelain tendre (soft paste porcelain) made
without Kaolin. It is not a perfect substitute for the Chinese porcelain.
Nevertheless manufacturing takes place all over Europe, in Italy, France (St Cloud, Chantilly, Vincennes, and the “Manufacture Royale de Sevres” setup on the
instigation of Madame de Pompadour). Search for Kaolin continued all along. It is in Saxony that it is first found in the early 18th century; the “Electeur de Saxe” setup in
Meissen in a well-guarded mysterious fortress a Royal Manufacture. Both the kaolin quarries and the manufacturing are jealously kept hidden under threat of death. For
the first time in Europe, China’s secret has been penetrated and of course, Meissen’s secret eventually seeped out.
In 1766, Kaolin is found near Saint Yriex in Limousin, France; it is the “Eldorado”. Everybody digs and believes he has struck it rich. Everywhere, people are searching,
digging, sifting, washing… In Limoges, Superintendent Turgot encourages the manufacturers, for he sees here a source of prosperity for his region known to be pour.
On July 11th 1786, in a place called Marcognac, after a long and careful search, François Alluaud, the kings geographical engineer (our Ancestor), recently appointed
manager of the floundering “ Conte d’Artois Manufacture”, identified what seemed to be an abundant and accessible supply of Kaolin. He starts here a new company. It
flourishes; he eventually passes on to his sons and it will stay in his family, our family, for 200 years. During these years, we have been an active participant in the
expansion of the porcelain industry over the following two centuries.

Encyclopedia definition…

porcelain [Ital. porcellana], white, hard, permanent, nonporous pottery having translucence which is resonant when struck. Porcelain was first made by the Chinese to
withstand the great heat generated in certain parts of their kilns. The two natural substances used were kaolin, also known as china clay, a white clay free of impurities that
melts only at very high temperature, and a feldspar mineral called petuntse that forms a glassy cement, binding the vessel permanently. Although proto-porcelain wares
exist dating from the Shang, by the Eastern Han high firing glazed ceramic wares had developed into porcelain, and porcelain manufactured during the T'ang period (618–
906) was exported to the Islamic world where it was highly prized. The ware was refined during the Sung period (960–1279). During the Yuan period (1280–1368), blue
and white ware was produced by utilizing cobalt blue from the Middle East. The Ming period (1368–1644) developed this blue and white ware but used other colors as well.
The Ch'ing period (1644–1912) designed porcelain especially for export often utilizing Western designs. In Europe porcelain was first commercially produced (1710) in
Meissen, Germany. Most of the European porcelain is soft paste (made from clay and an artificial compound such as ground glass) and is not as strong as the Chinese
hard-paste porcelain. Important European centers for porcelain are Bow, Chelsea, Worcester, Staffordshire, Vienna, Meissen, Sèvres, Limoges, and Rouen.

History, the beginning of Porcelain…

Jingdezhen, under a variety of names, has been central to porcelain production in China since at least the early Han Dynasty. Earliest techniques were very primitive, barely
above the level of standard pottery. By the time of the Southern and Northern Dynasty period, however, techniques and materials had been improved to the point that
Jingdezhen clay was refined into porcelain.

The Sui and Tang Dynasties introduced high-temperature kilns, resulting in pure, translucent whites, attractive to the eye, as well as a variety of advanced glazing
techniques. These improvements produced smooth, durable porcelain ware. The resulting product was often referred to as "false jade".

Techniques of Porcelain...

The most noticeable difference between porcelain and the other pottery clays is that it 'wets' very quickly (that is, added water has a noticeably greater effect on the plasticity
for porcelain than other clays), and that it tends to continue to 'move' for longer than other clays, requiring experience in handling to attain optimum results.

Porcelain clays can be chemically formulated for strength, plasticity and durability to the point that they can be used as throwing bodies. Porcelain ware was produced on
the potter's wheel in many historic cultures, including China and Japan. Many categories of glazes, e.g. celedons, were formulated specifically for their striking effects on
porcelain. Modern potters also produce porcelain ware, and generally believe these clay bodies challenge production, firing and glazing skills. Commercially formulated
procelain bodies are generally available through most clay distributers.

Porcelain ware of all types is typically biscuit fired at around 1000 degrees Celsius (1800 degrees Fahrenheit), and glaze fired (the final firing) at 1300°C (2300°F) or higher.