|
Chemistry, Greed, and Porcelain William Adams For hundreds of years European alchemists tried to make gold. If they were able to find the arcanum for gold, they were assured a better life. Unfortunately, they believed that they could unlock the secrets of gold by using old and unproven Greek scientific theories, limited chemical knowledge, and secret incantations to focus all the power of religion and magic into their experiments. Janet Gleeson, in her book The Arcanum: The Extraordinary True Story, describes how one German alchemist, Johann Frederick Böttger, went from gold-making failure to successfully discovering the arcanum of porcelain. The first half of the book is devoted to Böttger’s efforts with both gold and porcelain, and the second half describes the development of paints by the artist Johann Gregor Herold, and the design of porcelain objects by the sculptor Johann Joachim Kaendler. Throughout the book, Gleeson includes entertaining detail on individual greed as both a common bond and a driving force that culminated in porcelain. In a dizzying mix of self-centered personalities, bad politics, sex, treachery, intrigue, corrupt finances, war, international competition, and conspiracy, she chronicles the ascendancy of the German city of Meissen as the premier center for manufacturing porcelain.
The story begins in 1703 when Johann Frederick Böttger escaped from his prison laboratory in a dreary castle. He was being held against his will for no clear criminal reason by Augustus II, the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Böttger was to make gold or be executed. He chose escape. But similar to previous escapes, he was quickly captured. The angry Augustus responded the same after each escape: more guards and a promise of certain death after the next escape. Böttger was not a charlatan but a trained pharmacist. In his spare time, he enthusiastically learned the science of chemistry, and dreamed of practicing alchemy and becoming rich. He was extremely confident that his knowledge of chemistry would help him discover the arcanum. His career in alchemy was launched when he gave a dramatic and convincing demonstration for an audience of friends. Sadly, Böttger had merely pretended to make gold. Intending only to impress his friends, news of his success spread quickly before he could confess his trick. Both Frederick I of Prussia and Augustus II of Saxony soon heard the “good” news. When Frederick demanded to see his subject, out of fear for his life Böttger fled to Saxony. A wise move; King Frederick was well known for his distrust of the claims of alchemists, and worse, was ruthless toward unproductive alchemists. He executed them. Saxony was safer for Böttger: Augustus was the opposite of Frederick—patient and more forgiving. However, Böttger quickly became unhappy with the forced isolation and secrecy mandated by Augustus. He escaped several times out of longing for outside contact. Fortunately, he did have contact with another chemist employed by Augustus. It was Ehrenfried Walter von Tschirnhaus, who was trying to discover the process for making porcelain. Frequently, Tschirnhaus visited Böttger in his prison laboratory. There they discussed their research and the benefits of a lab outside of prison. Tschirnhaus was impressed with Böttger’s knowledge of chemistry and made sure Augustus knew that if anyone could make gold it would be Böttger. [more] |
