A specialist in Asian art at Sotheby's, Mason presents a very useful introduction to a complicated subject. He begins with an essay on the history of Asia, which despite its brevity will be useful for the collector targeted by this book. Individual chapters range from ceramics and metalwork to prints, paintings, and textiles; the chapter on "The Artisan and Craftsman" examines the quality, condition, and authenticity of works in areas such as arms, armor, glass, ivory, and jewelry. The book contains appendixes of chronological tables and major marks on Chinese and Japanese works of art, as well as an index and a fine bibliography. The narrative does not confuse readers new to the subject with excessive detail, and the photographs are clear and very instructive. A beautiful book at a reasonable price, this volume contains an amazing wealth of information on a very broad subject. Recommended for both public and academic libraries.-Martin Chasin, Adult Inst., Bridgeport, CT Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

The Chinese decorating art, in myriad media—bronze, ceramics, silk, embroidery, lacquer, jade, enamel, gold, and silver—and of carving and sculpture, is an ageless tradition of exquisite craftsmanship. Its evolution since ancient times was driven not only by the expanding use of materials available, but advances in technology. The understated elegance of Chinese aesthetics in arts and crafts, both functional and decorative, has in many ways influenced the development of the Chinese cultural identity, becoming emblematic of Chinese civilization in its worldwide dispersion. This concise history, complete and lucidly accessible, captures this millennia-old tradition, from the Neolithic Age to the late Qing when the last imperial reign unraveled, and the rise and evolution of its various forms, tracing the chronology of Chinese dynasties. Well researched and richly illustrated with more than 200 artefacts, it offers a fascinating journey through the evolution of Chinese aesthetics in the context of changing societies, reflecting the underlying qualities of the Chinese mind and a cultural heritage that endured uninterruptedly through millennia.

With Sensuous Surfaces, Jonathan Hay offers one of the most richly illustrated and in-depth introductions to the decorative arts of Ming and Qing dynasty China to date. Examining an immense number of works, he explores the materials and techniques, as well as the effects of patronage and taste, that together have formed a loose system of informal rules that define the decorative arts in early modern China. Hay demonstrates how this system—by engaging the actual and metaphorical potential of surface—guided the production and use of decorative arts from the late sixteenth century through the middle of the nineteenth, a period of explosive growth. He shows how the understanding of decorative arts made a fundamental contribution to the sensory education of China’s early modern urban population. Enriching his study with 280 color plates, he ultimately offers an elegant meditation, not only on Ming and Qing art but on the importance of the erotic in the form and function of decorations of all eras.

This volume catalogues more than 400 decorative objects in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, including painted enamels, snuffboxes, porcelain, pottery, ceramics, jewellery, furniture, cast metal, and textiles from throughout Europe and Asia, with the majority dating from the late seventh century to the 20th century.