A Victoria and Albert Museum publication reprinted many times, we have the now rare 2012 latest edition cataloguing 120 masterpieces from the Ceramics Collections at the V&A, one of its greatest glories. The museum was founded originally as a museum of manufacturers to display both historic and contemporary artifacts as examples for students of design, and from the start ceramics formed a substantial part of the collections. The museum also started to buy historic ceramics, mostly of the Renaissance period, and received major gifts and bequests including Italian and French Renaissance pottery, Dutch Delftware and in 1884 over 1,500 English ceramics were added following a generous donation. China has contributed more to the worldwide development of ceramics than any other country, and in the opinion of some, the wares of the Song and Ming dynasties set a standard of artistic excellence that has never been surpassed. Trade in ceramics between China, the Middle East and Europe led to a cross-pollination between the potting traditions of these lands, criss-crossing the globe. Both lustre painting and tin-glazing were widely practiced in Spain during and following the years of Islamic rule and exported in considerable quantities to late Medieval Italy where it was greatly admired and imitated. From Italy knowledge of the tin-glazed process percolated throughout Western Europe where it dominated fine ceramic production until the 18th century, when tough, inexpensive earthenwares from Staffordshire finally drove it out of the market. Italian Renaissance Maiolica is celebrated for its polychromed figure decoration, and much 18th century French and German faïence was made in imitation of contemporary European porcelain, but a great deal of Dutch and English Delftware was inspired by Chinese blue-and-white, a costly and exotic import. Industry and art and how trade and cultural interchange has shaped potting tradition is celebrated in this magnificent volume, conceived as a visual timeline. Outstanding new photographs reveal an array of stunning pieces from dramatic Chinese funerary sculpture to exquisitely painted Italian Renaissance pottery and bold modernist wares. Tea sets, vases, coffee pots, soup tureens, tankards, and a spectacular flower pyramid, much to enjoy in these hundreds of colour photos. 144 large pages, 22 x 27.5cm.
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