Bartolomé Sureda y Miserol facts for kids
Bartolomé Sureda y Miserol (1769–1851) was an important Spanish manager. He was in charge of several royal factories that made beautiful artistic products. These included factories in Madrid that made porcelain, like the Real Fábrica del Buen Retiro and later the Royal Factory of La Moncloa. He also managed a factory in Guadalajara that made cloth, and another in La Granja that made glass.
Contents
Sureda's Early Life and Training
Bartolomé Sureda traveled to France in 1800. There, he learned how to make porcelain and textiles (cloth). This training was very important for his future work.
Returning to Spain and Factory Work
Sureda came back to Spain in 1803. He first became a Director of Labour. By 1807, he was made the director of the Real Fábrica del Buen Retiro. At this factory, he helped improve the quality of porcelain. He developed a special type called hard-paste porcelain. This helped the factory make better products and earn more money.
Challenges and New Beginnings
In 1808, there was a French invasion of Spain. The Buen Retiro factory was destroyed in 1812. Because of this, Sureda had to return to France. Later, in 1817, he was in Mallorca and worked with making a type of wool cloth called "worsted cloth."
He was soon called back to Madrid. He became the head of the Real Fábrica de Paños in Guadalajara. He also became the acting director of a new porcelain factory, the Royal Porcelain Factory at Moncloa. This new factory was built to replace the destroyed Buen Retiro factory. All the workers from the old factory got their jobs back at the new one. Sureda was its director until 1820.
Managing the Glass Factory
In 1822, Sureda took on another important role. He became the director of the Real Fábrica de Cristales de La Granja. This factory was known for making beautiful glass products.
Sureda's Retirement
Bartolomé Sureda retired from royal service on November 13, 1829. After retiring, he moved back to Mallorca. He died on March 10, 1851. His son, Alejandro Sureda, later became a famous architect.
Working with Porcelain Materials
When Sureda worked at the Buen Retiro factory, he used special materials for his porcelain. He used materials similar to those in famous French porcelain, like Sèvres porcelain. He used pure feldspar for glazing, which made the porcelain shiny. He got his raw materials, like kaolin and flint, from places close to Madrid.
He also developed a unique magnesium paste. This paste was special because it allowed the porcelain to be fired at different temperatures. This made the Buen Retiro porcelain very unique.
Sureda's Artistic Interests
Bartolomé Sureda was also interested in art. He followed the painting style of the famous artist Francisco Goya. After he retired to Mallorca, he spent his time painting. He loved to paint landscapes, religious scenes, and everyday life.
See also
In Spanish: Bartolomé Sureda y Miserol para niños
