For centuries, there were no bathrooms or toilets in townhouses. Their function was most often fulfilled by a bathhouse, usually a public one, and outhouses located at the rear of the building. Believing that diseases entered the body through skin pores, especially those enlarged by bathing, many avoided washing as much as possible. Gradually, attitudes changed, but bathrooms resembling modern ones were still a long way off. One important milestone was the appearance of toilet sets, consisting of a water jug, a basin, and a chamber pot, along with various containers for brushes, soap, and various toilet accessories. The exhibition presents jugs and basins from the most popular 19th-century toilet sets, made of porcelain and earthenware, decorated with paint and decals. Such sets were produced by many manufacturers, in various styles and decorations. Their popularity began to fade with the advent of cheap and more durable enameled vessels, as well as with the development of water and sewage systems, until they fell into disuse altogether.
