This park is full of surprises: Not only do we have Greek statues and Greek temples, there is even a Chinese house hidden in the forest. Apparently, all things related to the mysterious Far East were of great interest at that time, and this "European" interpretation of things Chinese has some very cute, and some rather funny features: Look at the faces of the portrayed "Chinese" - they definitely got these out of the wrong supply house ....

The CHINESE HOUSE - is a garden pavilion built by Frederick the Great to adorn his flower and vegetable garden. It was built between 1755 and 1764 in the then-popular style of Chinoiserie, a mixture of ornamental rococo elements and parts of Chinese architecture. The unusually long building time of 9 years is attributed to the Seven Years' War, during which Prussia's economic and financial situation suffered significantly. Only after the end of the war in 1763 were the chambers inside the pavilion furnished. The building was Frederick the Great's attempt to follow the Chinese fashion of the 18th century, which began in France before spreading to England, Germany, and Russia.

CHINOISERIE - In the 17th century, Dutch traders brought Chinese mother-of-pearl, lacquer, silks and porcelain to Europe. In the noble courts of the baroque era, an interest in Oriental arts grew during the rococo period into Chinoiserie, a genuine fashion for all things Chinese. In addition to the enthusiasm for Asian luxury goods which harmonized with the certain forms of rococo, travelogues and exhibitions portrayed the carefree living of the Chinese, which corresponded with the European courts' ideal of a relaxed lifestyle. Whole rooms of palaces were decorated with porcelain, small Chinese-style furniture and wall murals which presented the ideal world that was supposedly China.


Notes
TRIP INFO: Set # 1 provides a brief introduction, maps and information for the entire series. Find it at:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-693834-1.html

DETAILS ON POTSDAM: Set 50 provides an intro, see: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-699827-1.html

EARLIER POSTS of this series: Access my topic list, the new posts are listed in reverse chronological order:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/user-topic-list?usernum=45105

Thank you for visiting, I recommend viewing the downloads and look forward to your comments and questions.

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