The First Time I Saw Lladro Porcelain
On one of the many Sunday morning walks with my parents in my little hometown, two family friends who owned a decorative objects shop waved at us and called us in for a quick chat. I knew that shop very well from the outside: it was on the main road and its windows were full of figures in porcelain and crystal, which always fascinated me so much. Little I knew that what they kept inside, safe from the outer world, would fascinate me even more.
That morning, the first memory I have of ever entering that shop, was the first time I saw a Lladro porcelain statuette. It was a dancer gently posing with such grace, and so perfect with its unrealistically shiny and pearly skin-tone.
I was flabbergasted. How could something so hard as porcelain look so delicate and alive? Even if I knew this could never happen, I started waiting for the little figure to become alive and start dancing, like a real ballerina. I guess I was so absorbed in going through all the details of this little figure that the shop owners saw me and, like a granddad does with his little granddaughter, started telling me the story of how someone in Spain handmade this little beauty.
The Lladro Story
Lladro started off as a family business when two Valencian brothers began experimenting with porcelain in the 50s, hand-making sculptures under the influence of a major trendsetter from Meissen, Sèvres and Capodimonte. Since then the business has become known worldwide thanks to their innovative production processes, their commitment to fighting inequality on the workplace. And of course, above all, for the beauty of their sculptures, inspired by timeless classics, exquisite floral details and even contemporary fairytales.
I cannot help feeling lighter, more content and in a way inspired whenever I lay my eyes on these figures. Now as when I first saw that ballerina, this shiny porcelain takes my daydreaming to a whole new level of grace and aesthetic perfection. And while I am waiting to have a house of my own to decorate with at least one of these sculptures, as I promised myself to do when I was young enough to make these sort of life goals, I pick my favourite subjects. Like this couple here: how could you not think that a soft spring breeze is actually making her wedding dress gently flutter away?
