The collection is inspired by several masterpieces by Vincent van Gogh. FRANZ does not simply apply Van Gogh’s paintings to the design of porcelain, but attempts to delicately blend Van Gogh’s paintings with popular porcelain items.
FRANZ x Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh Museum and FRANZ—the world’s leading high-end porcelain brand—work together to create beautiful collections of porcelain, including vases, tableware and more.
Almond Blossom
For this exquisite design with three-dimensional flowers, FRANZ took inspiration from Van Gogh’s painting of snow-white almond blossoms against an azure-blue sky. Flowering trees were special to Van Gogh. They represented the arrival of spring, hope and the birth of a new life.
Sunflowers
For this exquisite design with three-dimensional sunflowers, FRANZ took inspiration from the optimism that shines through in Van Gogh’s daring use of bright shades of yellow, and from the way Van Gogh captured the robust sunflowers and petals, which curve stubbornly before drying out.
About the collaboration
Authorized by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, FRANZ presents a series of porcelain works inspired by Van Gogh’s masterpieces, bringing them to life on porcelain in honour of a great artist who spent his life creating.
Each FRANZ item is elaborately made involving hundreds of production stages and the use of the finest clay and ‘secret’ glaze ingredients. Working to minimize any negative effects on the environment during the manufacturing process, the company saves energy and reduces CO2 emissions by using a new formula to lower the firing temperature.
About FRANZ
Porcelain was invented by the Chinese 1,400 years ago and was called ‘white gold’ in ancient Europe. However, since the Industrial Revolution, most porcelain tableware has been made by machine, and it has gradually lost its artistic value.
Established in 2001, FRANZ aims to revive China’s porcelain heritage by combining traditional craftsmanship and modern technology, and by integrating classical, contemporary, Eastern and Western aesthetics.
The brand has won numerous awards, including the Best Gift Award for its Papillon collection, awarded by the 2002 New York International Gift Show, Best Ceramic Gift Award from The Guild of Specialist Retailers in the UK, and the Seal of Excellence for Handicrafts from UNESCO, which it has won five years in a row.
FRANZ originates from the essence of Chinese culture and continues to draw inspiration from different cultures and art forms. The brand strives to create perfect works by combining the power of technology with truth, culture with kindness and art with beauty.
As an innovative brand, FRANZ not only acquired a patent for its method of making a ceramic ornament having short undercuts on a surface but also introduced 3D printing technology to its production process, enabling technical breakthroughs in terms of form, colour and texture. Thus, the industrialization of cultural creativity has become a reality, bringing art into our lives.
Contact
Would you like to find out more about the Van Gogh Museum’s brand licensing programmes and collaborative possibilities? Please get in touch. We look forward to discussing the options.