Rosenthal GmbH is a German manufacturer of porcelain products and other household goods. The original firm was founded in 1879 in Selb, Bavaria.
Rosenthal was founded as a family business. The founder, Philipp Rosenthal, moved his porcelain painting business from Werl in North Rhine-Westphalia to Selb in Bavaria, where he was based in the castle Erkersreuth. In 1897, Philipp Rosenthal founded the company Bauer, Rosenthal & Co. in Kronach, as well as Philipp Rosenthal & Co. AG. In 1908, Rosenthal bought the porcelain manufacturer Thomas in Marktredwitz, and the porcelain company Zeidler & Co. in 1917.
It produced porcelain until 2009. During its period of production it had many designers of various wares, including the notable Bjorn Wiinblad, Gianni Versace, Salvador Dali, Raymond Peynet and many, many others.
Perhaps the most famous designer, at least the most prolific for Rosenthal was Bjorn Wiinblad (1918 – 2006), a Danish painter, designer and artist in ceramics, silver, bronze, textiles, and graphics. His work has been shown widely in Europe, USA, Japan, Australia and Canada.
Characteristics of Wiinblad's work include whimsical round-faced people, dressed in vaguely 19th-century costume. They are often surrounded by natural elements: twining vines, floral wreaths, and fantastical trees. When Wiinblad employed colour, he did so with great assurance. His colours are saturated and strong—sometimes almost psychedelic—and are often supplemented with metallic gold or silver.
Wiinblad was an important designer for the Rosenthal porcelain company and also also designed ceramic pieces for Nymolle, a Danish pottery.
