Lomonosov porcelain was originated by Dmitry (Ivanovich) Vinogradov,
who was born roughly in 1720 (exact date unknown) in the Russian city of Suzdal, a center of the Orthodox church, where his father was a priest.
Both Dmitry and his brother, Yakov, were educated at the Zaikonospassky monastery school, Moscow.
At the end of 1735 both brothers were sent to the
Petersburg of the Academy of Sciences of the Russian Empire because they showed great potential in science.
In 1736, the Academy of Sciences elected some young men
be honored abroad with an education in Chemistry and Metals.
Those few became:
# – Michail Lomonosov, Russian scientist, who created the periodic table of chemical elements, wrote well-known books on physiology and created the modern Russian vodka recipe. Furthermore, Lomonosov is believed to have been the illegitimate son of Tsar Peter the Great.
# – Hustav Ulrich Raizer
# – Dmitry Vinogradov, who was only 16 at the time.
All three were sent to Europe to receive education.
The three were denounced to the Russian crown as somewhat rebellious people, but they did not forget their education, so they advanced a lot in their studies.
Once they returned, Dmitry Vinogradov received the rank of captain and wanted to be a Marksheider.
However, the Russian Czarina Elizabeth, a great lover of China, had different ideas and immediately changed the order and ordered Vinogradov to create the first Russian porcelain.
At that time, the German “arcanist” (from the Latin “arcanum” – one who has the hidden truth), Gunger, tried to obtain porcelain for the Russian court, at the newly established porcelain manufacturer
(the modern Lomonosov factory).
But he was unsuccessful, so Czarina decided to replace him.
Vinogradov was unaware of the secret of porcelain, but began his work.
For a few years he tried in different ways and got many results, but there was still no good porcelain.
Vinogradov’s complex personality, chaotic lifestyle, and slave labor contributed to his drinking problem.
The Russian court decided to force Vinogradov to find a way to carry out this special procedure.
He was first arrested and forced to stay in the factory (near where the porcelain was baked) day and night.
They told him that he could not return home until the desired porcelain was produced.
He did his work 24 hours a day, to the point of sleeping in the factory. He finally created the first Russian porcelain.
Even this was not enough for Czarina. He decided that the secret of porcelain should be jealously guarded from foreigners.
As if that wasn’t enough, he demanded that even porcelain be made much better.
Vinogradov requested that he be allowed to live at home.
But they chained him on a circuit. He was not even allowed to leave the place where the porcelain was baked.
Porcelain was improved; in fact, at the end of the 18th century it was the best porcelain in Europe.
Unfortunately, Dmitry Vinogradov did not survive the harsh conditions.
He died on August 22, 1758, young, in chains,
right in the factory, very close to the great china he created.