Description

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A study of a private collection of European porcelain and the history of porcelain more broadly.

Brittle Beauty presents a superlative private collection of European porcelain—radical, rare, and in many cases, unique pieces assembled over thirty years. Lavishly illustrated and insightfully researched, the book showcases eighty vessels and sculptures and includes accounts of their patrons and former owners, many as eccentric as the works themselves.

One striking attribute of porcelain is its reflective glaze. Mirror-like in a wider sense, Brittle Beauty: Reflections on 18th Century European Porcelain examines the context in which this porcelain was created—including cultural, political, topographical, and ceremonial aspects. It also looks at related materials such as silver, textiles, and glass. The 18th century was the golden age of porcelain in Europe, which had previously been dependent on precious imports from the Far East. The discovery of the formula for hard-paste porcelain in Dresden in 1709 inspired the establishment of manufactories throughout the Continent and became a symbol of Enlightenment culture for every princely court. Featuring essays from several eminent scholars, this book features essays from several eminent scholars. It also showcases a wealth of stunning imagery from Sylvain Deleu, who expertly photographed the pieces, many for the first time.

Praise For…

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"Illustrations of 80 porcelain vessels and sculptures from a private collection are accompanied by essays examining the social, political and artistic contexts of their creation, alongside colorful accounts of the quirks of patrons and former owners."
— Apollo

"This beautiful catalogue features 80 ceramic pieces—stoneware and porcelain pottery and sculpture—in a private collection built over 30 years. In his introduction Munger (curator, Metropolitan Museum of Art) describes the development of soft- and hard-paste porcelain in the early 18th century and the influence on European ceramics of Asian art and works in other media. Provenance, processes, and historic and artistic influences are explored in essays by five noted European (including British) and American curators. The works are exquisite and some are eccentric.  All evidence the highest level of craftsmanship and artistic expression, which is superbly captured in the photographs of each piece. The 18th-century ceramic works in this collection represent the coming of a new age in art in Europe with the technological development of porcelain and polychrome ceramic surfaces, which emerged in tandem with the Age of Enlightenment."
— Choice