On View:	September 9, 2023–December 2026
Public Reception:	Saturday, September 9, 2023, 4:00–6:00 PM
Exhibition Tour:	Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 12:00–1:00 PM

A Traveler’s Guide to Mettlach: Villeroy and Boch – Exhibition Overview

A Traveler’s Guide to Mettlach: Villeroy and Boch showcases everyday life in 1800s Mettlach, Germany, as documented and celebrated by Villeroy and Boch, a ceramic production company founded in 1836 when Jean François Boch and Nicolas Villeroy merged their ceramic businesses into what is now known as Villeroy and Boch.

The workers of the Mettlach factory came from diverse backgrounds, including from art studios, archives, and museums. The varied backgrounds of these factory workers contributed to the artistic achievements of the Villeroy and Boch company. The Mettlach factory produced wares using adapted techniques of high and low relief, PUG (printed under glaze), Phanolith, Cameo and hand-painted wares in the form of steins, plaques, vases, jardinières, table wares, and more. AMOCA’s Mettlach Collection reflects German cultural experiences, societal interpretations, and mythology, through pieces created between 1850 and 1920.

This exhibition shows scenes of daily life, love, cultural influences, and relationships as well as larger themes of fantasy, offering an all-encompassing snapshot of life within the city of Mettlach. A Traveler’s Guide is organized thematically, with groupings of steins, platters, vases, and even a soda dispenser. As you enter the gallery, you’ll be find cases of Mettlach ware presenting numerous examples of “Unusual Steins,” “Artistic Styles and Influences,” “Marketing,” “Real and Imagined Landscapes,” “Daily Life Activities,” “Love,” and “Fantasy.”

A Traveler’s Guide to Mettlach is on view in the Robert and Colette Wilson Gallery through December 2026.