German chemist, born in 1682 at Schleiz. Böttger was taught chemistry by his father then at the age of 16 years went to Berlin to study medicine. Believing that he could turn base metal into gold, he persuaded the King of Prussia to employ him to do so. But sensing failure, he fled to Dresden. He was imprisoned in the Albrechtsburg by Augustus the Strong, who was an obsessive collector of Oriental porcelain. Böttger worked with Tschirhausen and they finally made porcelain in 1708. Tschirhausen died in that year, while Böttger continued alone, making a fine red stoneware and white porcelain. The Royal Saxon Porcelain Manufactory was established in 1710. Böttger died in 1719 in Dresden. The Royal Saxon Porcelain manufactory was established in 1710. Due to the terrible working conditions, and his imprisonment which had driven Böttger to drink, he was by then a broken man and died in 1719 in Dresden.
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