sugar-coatedThe Art of the Royal Dessert

The Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG) will present an extraordinary special exhibition in autumn 2027 on the art of dessert-making in the 18th and 19th centuries. This is the first time that a comprehensive exhibition will be devoted to this fascinating, nearly forgotten aspect of courtly dining culture.

The exhibition focuses on opulent desserts as the crowning glory of princely banquets. Desserts were artfully crafted from exquisite ingredients, featuring surprising flavours and presented with spectacular table settings. The exhibition traces the development of the dessert course from the magnificent arrangements of the Rococo period, through the critical reflection of the Enlightenment, to the changes in dining culture in the 19th century.

The exhibition takes as its starting point confectioners and their workshops. Confectioners were specialised and extremely well-paid master chefs who, through their ingenuity, laid the foundations for the artistic presentation of desserts. Their knowledge was even lavishly illustrated in books. 
Sugar, gelling agents and chocolate reached confectioners only after travelling long trade routes and undergoing complex technical processes. Therefore, the exhibition will also examine the cultivation and preservation of native and non-native fruits; the links between sugar production, slavery, ecological research, preservation techniques, and steam shipping; and the challenges of refrigeration and baking without modern technology.

Tools, exquisite serving vessels—specially designed for presenting desserts—models, and historical depictions offer an insight into this extraordinary art form. Elaborately designed display pieces and three banquet tables will fill the halls of the New Wing. These tables, based on historical examples, will serve as the highlight of the exhibition, conveying the impressive diversity and cultural richness of courtly dessert.

The exhibition will combine indulgence, art and history to create a sensory experience and demonstrate how closely dessert culture, luxury and courtly representation were intertwined. A catalogue in German and English will be published to accompany this special exhibition.