The era around 1800 was one of enormous dynamism: social, scientific, technological – the signs pointed everywhere to change, a new dawn, progress. Paradoxically, in the decorative arts, the path to the future led back to classical antiquity to create modern designs.

Starting in Spring 2022, the Kunstgewerbemuseum is opening the new permanent exhibition “Design around 1800”: Illustrated by stunning works of applied arts of the Kunstgewerbemuseum or the porcelain collection and spanning the whole range of object-groups such as ceramics, textiles, glass and metalwork, furniture, wallpaper and clocks multiple facets of the arts and crafts around 1800 are spotlighted.

The exhibition is on show in the Imperial Rooms in the west wing of the Upper Palace of Schloss Pillnitz. Created around 1790, this sequence of rooms earned its name in August 1791, when the Habsburg Leopold II – Holy Roman Emperor – resided in these rooms during the Pillnitz Monarchs Conference. However, the Imperial Rooms are an impressive example of interior design in this era. Their wall panelling and decorative wall-mounted elements designed in the style of neoclassicism around 1790/91 have been preserved in their original state and are a rare example of early neoclassicism in Saxony. These historically authentic rooms correlate with the museum exhibits in an exploration of the extremely fascinating and groundbreaking epoch of neoclassicism.

For the first time the visitors can explore the newly arranged permanent exhibition by using the recent multimedia-guide. Either on a precast highlight-tour or by selecting the individual tracks the visitors can learn interesting facts about the displayed objects and interiors. The guide is available for smartphones or on our devices, available at the entrance of the museum.