V&A 2012 – Briglin.com

Another visit to the 6th floor of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Visit on 12th June 2012.

“This is the largest and most comprehensive ceramics and glass collection in the world, with over 80,000 objects from around the world. Every populated continent is represented.“

This time I thought it would be fun to include many more pictures of my visit in the hope of conveying just how staggering this collection is. I checked on Wiki, the collection of ceramics at the V&A is not just one of the greatest collections of ceramics in the world, it is THE GREATEST COLLECTION. It is composed of over 80,000 items. That’s amazing!. It’s mostly from donations, and although the C20th collection does not rival the porcelain collection it is still impressive. Only a small amount of the collection is ‘on show’. See this link for more information.

I was going to list my top ten favorite items in the collection on the 6th floor, but after reviewing the photographs I decided to include all the items that I liked.. I have added the V&A description rather crudely. If you like these pictures then try to make a visit to the V&A – The galleries are always deserted when I go, they are seriously under used IMO. This is just a small fraction of what is there to see in the whole Museum. Admission to the V&A is free. Some exhibitions and events carry a separate charge.

But…. please leave a £3 donation on visiting (recommended)

Alex

V&A Link, V&A Ceramics Link, V&A Maps of Galleries

Famous C19th grotesque by the Martin brothers. Usually called tobacco jars, these beasties were a fabulous addition to any Victorian gentlemen’s mantle piece. I’m sure they scared many a small child!

Renaissance Dish. circa 1510. This is a fine example of the major advantage of ceramics. If they are looked after well then they remain in the same state they came out of the kiln. This plate is 500 years old and the colours have not faded or dulled in all those years. Any painting, tapestry, furniture would have been ravaged by time. Paintings and fabrics fade badly and timber bleaches when exposed to daylight. This Maiolica platter could have been made yesterday.

Recovered ceramics from the seabed. Very interesting. Vast amounts of ceramics can be found on the seabed (see my review section for the drama of the Hoi An Hoard Book).

Margaret Hine. Beautiful pair of doves. Great colour and markings to the body.

Richard Parkinson. The V&A can’t display everything, space is limited, but I can’t help but feel that this tall Parkinson Golfer would look so much better on display with other Parkinson pieces. He’s a bit lonely.

Kenneth Clark Pottery

Chelsea Pottery – One small JM dish is all they get.

Marianne de Trey. It’s very lucky this beautiful dish is behind glass!

Lucie Rie. That vertical decoration is just mesmerizing. So subtle and fine.

Emmanuel Cooper. One of my favorate pieces. Remids me of the dazzel paint they used on ships in WWII. Such a strong pattern with subtle fading and texture.

Michael Casson. Anemic pallid blue-green dish, but incised decoration is refined and suggestive.

Michael Cardew. Cider jars we all the fashion in 1945, oddly you don’t see them so often now, perhaps they will make a come back along with salt pigs?