Interview: Jillian Forsberg of 'The Porcelain Menagerie'

I was intrigued to hear about the new novel by Jillian Forsberg, titled The Porcelain Menagerie, and even more so to learn it is set in the eighteenth century! In researching and writing The Blue, I delved into the tumultuous--even violent--history of porcelain creation in Europe, once inventors had "broken" the secret of the Chinese formulas.

I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of Jillian's novel and loved it. Here's a plot description: In a world where ambition is as fragile as porcelain, two lives are shaped by a king's dangerous obsessions. In 18th-century Dresden, the dangerous whims of King Augustus the Strong shape the court and the lives of those held captive, both people and animals.

Now the novel is out and winning rave reviews everywhere. I caught up with Jillian to ask her a few questions:

Nancy Bilyeau: You and I are both drawn to the history of porcelain when creating historical fiction. Why does it fascinate you?

Jillian Forsberg: Art history has always been interesting to me, but the creation of porcelain is truly an intriguing story — I love secrets, drama, and beauty, and porcelain encompasses all of those things. From the Chinese makers who perfected it to the Europeans who tried and failed and tried again to copy it, there’s such humanity in the process. In China, from one step to the next is the product of community, and in Europe, it always inspires me to find stories of reliance when the early makers failed so many times and just kept at it. It’s amazing, too, to see the differences in art that are considered wildly successful from different parts of the world: some look amazing, and some look downright grotesque. 

 

NB: What makes the 18th century an exciting setting for a narrative? 

JF: Well, I think I’m biased! My master’s thesis is set in the 18th century, and therefore, a lot of my mental energy was spent in that time period. Those 100 years for me have always been delicious because of the Age of Enlightenment, the expansion of curiosity, and then, toward the end of the century, upheavals and revolutions all over the world. One of my favorite things is a good museum gallery, and the 18th century produced some of the finest artifacts and collections of any time period. The ultra-wealthy sought out collections of all kinds of things, and it really was a testament to how the 1% lived. But below the shimmering surface of fine goods, the middle class was finding its footing… the thread through the 18th century is change, beauty, and endings. That makes for quite an exciting historical fiction setting!

 

NB: I find Augustus the Strong pretty mind-blowing as monarchs go. What were the most surprising things you learned about him?

JF: He truly is. I think I was truly surprised that even with my formal education, I had never heard of him. He would have been sorely disappointed in that! The man was almost a caricature as far as kings go — over the top, outlandish, boisterous, and relentless. But he didn’t really DO anything. The latest biography published about him, just last fall, is literally called Augustus the Strong: A Study in Artistic Greatness and Political Fiasco. He tried his best to be memorable, but unfortunately, what was most recorded was his rumored 300+ bastard children, terrible addiction to blood sport, chaining artists to the floors of their studios, and, my personal favorite, ripping horseshoes in half in front of a crowd. The man was unbelievable. A perfect fictional subject, a quite imperfect king. 

To learn more about Jillian Forsberg, go to her website.

To order The Porcelain Menagerie, click here.