Brittle Beauty : Ad Ilissvm : 9781912168293 : 1912168294 : 22 Jan 2025 : A study of a private collection of European porcelain and the history of porcelain more broadly. Brittle Beauty presents a superlative private collection of European porcelain?radical, rare, and in many cases, unique pieces assembled over thirty years. Lavishly illustrated and insightfully researched, the book showcases eighty vessels and sculptures and includes accounts of their patrons and former owners, many as eccentric as the works themselves. One striking attribute of porcelain is its reflective glaze. Mirror-like in a wider sense, Brittle Beauty: Reflections on 18th Century European Porcelain examines the context in which this porcelain was created?including cultural, political, topographical, and ceremonial aspects. It also looks at related materials such as silver, textiles, and glass. The 18th century was the golden age of porcelain in Europe, which had previously been dependent on precious imports fro