FINE Wine & Champagne India - Winter 2018

P o r c e l a i n H u n g a r i k u m
A
pearl of Hungarian Culture. This ancient
town was founded in the year 1001 by
Saint Stephen, the first king of Hungary, and
became an important cultural centre even though
most of its inhabitants work in agriculture.
Folk-art originating from this region is inspired
by the famous Hungarian Red Paprika motif –
strings of which are left to dry on the walls before
grinding to powder – this is complemented by
flowers in very simple compositions. Women
specialized in drawing – or as it is called in
Hungary – ‘writing’ the patterns paint the walls
of their houses with decorative patterns and
make embroideries. Of late, Kalocsa patterns
have inspired the fashion world.
The Kalocsa Porcelain Manufacturing
domiciled in the historical town of Kalocsa has
been producing high-quality, richly decorated,
hand-painted porcelain products since 1971. A
tradition of several hundreds of years and the
colourful folklore of the region that is so beautifully
combined with the art of porcelain painting has
been preserved. Colourful and cheerful, this
folk art is easy to recognise. When privatised in
1996, its workers acquired ownership, and they
continue to hand paint the porcelainware that is
much-sought-after internationally. The designs
and lines have remained unchanged for years,
which makes it possible to reorder the same
products years later.
104 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA