Chinese Pottery and Porcelain 1st Ed. (paperback)

This is a survey of the development of Chinese ceramics from the Neolithic period to the present day. Assessing the roles pottery has played throughout the history of China, this book also discusses its impact on the ceramic industries of the rest of the world. From the earliest earthenwares to the exotic burial figures of the Tang, from the classic forms and subtle glazes of the Song to the famous porcelains created especially for export or imperial tastes, the book draws upon the collections of the British Museum for illustrations. Consideration is paid to the purposes for which the ceramics of each period were made, how their production was organised, and what effect local conditions might have had on their final forms. The book incorporates contemporary commentaries, recent archeological evidence from kiln sites and the most up-to-date scientific analysis.