Parīzes epizode latviešu porcelāna mākslas vēsturē

The porcelain painting studio Baltars (1924–1931) as the first internationally recognised accomplishment of Latvian interwar-period art has been actively studied in recent years; however, there are still various problematic aspects and information that needs to be concretised. The studio is mainly associated with the creative group consisting of its initiator, artist Romans Suta (1896–1944) as well as Aleksandra Beļcova (1892–1981) and Sigismunds Vidbergs (1890–1970). Less is known about the creative achievements of some other Latvian artists related to Baltars. One of the main catalysts in the establishment of Baltars was the invitation from France to participate in the International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925. It was the first international exhibition organised after the First World War and artists were eager to show the results of their creative work to a wider audience as well as to prove their right to join Europe’s “old” cultural nations. Studying and analysing artworks from the Paris exhibition catalogue’s ceramic and porcelain chapters, it becomes evident that the porcelain of Baltars stands out among the rest of the exhibits. Only the Soviet Union’s exposition of agit porcelain and the artist Jean Luce’s works bear some similarity to Baltars ware. It was probably their different and innovatory approach that earned these porcelain artists success at the significant 1925 International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris