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V&A Opens New Ceramics Galleries, Includes Middle Kingdom and Wedgwood
October 22, 2009
London's Victoria & Albert Museum opened the newly refurbished ceramics galleries in
September, marking a century since the collection's inception in 1909. One of the most
comprehensive ceramic collections in the world with 3000 objects on display, the new
galleries tell the story of world ceramics from the earliest Chinese pottery to contemporary ceramic art.
The central gallery showcases designs dating back to 2500 BC, exploring the links between
ceramic traditions around the world. Highlights include a drinking cup from ancient Greece;
Ming Dynasty Chinese porcelain; 14th century Spanish pottery; Dutch delftware ordered by
Queen Mary for Hampton Court Palace; tea bowls rescued from an 18th-century Chinese
shipwreck; and a vase painted by Picasso in the 1950's.
For the first time, the V&A has created a gallery exploring ceramic production with a
workshop area where visitors will be able to make, decorate and fire their own ceramics.
Additional galleries include one devoted to Architectural Ceramics and several contemporary
exhibits.
The 20th-Century Factory Ceramics Gallery displays designs from leading manufacturers of
the 20th century, including Middle Kingdom, Wedgwood and Royal Copenhagen. Click here
to see one Middle Kingdom's latest designs, the Courtesan urn, featured in our October issue.
Opening in 2010, the second phase of the redisplay will house the study collections, showcasing
an additional 26,000 objects.
Posted by Tracy Bulla on October 22, 2009 | Comments (1)
