Porcelain imported from China was the most highly coveted new medium in sixteenth- and early seventeenth-­century Europe. Its pure white color, translucency, and durability, as well as the delicacy of decoration, were impossible to achieve in European earthenware and stoneware. In response, European ceramic factories set out to discover the process of producing porcelain in the Chinese manner, with significant artistic, technical, and commercial ramifications for Britain and the Continent. Indeed, not only artisans, but kings, noble patrons, and entrepreneurs all joined in the quest, hoping to gain both prestige and profit from the enterprises they established. This beautifully illustrated volume showcases ninety works that span the late sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century and reflect the major currents of European porcelain production. Each work is illustrated with glorious new photography, accompanied by analysis and interpretation by one of the leading experts in European decorative arts. Among the wide range of porcelains selected are rare blue-and-white wares and figures from Italy, superb examples from the Meissen factory in Germany and the Sèvres factory in France, and ceramics produced by leading British eighteenth-century artisans. Taken together, they reveal why the Metropolitan Museum’s holdings in this field are among the finest in the world. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Verdana}

Porcelain by Edward Dillon is a fascinating look at the delicate art of crafting porcelain. This all-encompassing nonfiction book includes porcelain from a variety of countries such as China, Japan, and Korea. Contents: "Introductory and Scientific Chapter II. The Materials: Mixing, Fashioning, and Firing Chapter III. Glazes Chapter IV. Decoration using Colour Chapter V. The Porcelain of China. Introductory—Classification—The Sung Dynasty—The Mongol or Yuan Dynasty Chapter VI. The Porcelain of China (continued). The Ming Dynasty Chapter VII. The Porcelain of China (continued). The Manchu or Tsing Dynasty Chapter VIII. The Porcelain of China (continued). Marks."