French Eighteenth-Century Porcelain at the Wadsworth Atheneum: J. Pierpont Morgan Collection [Hardcover]

Linda H. Roth (Author), Clare Le Corbeiller (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0918333164 | ISBN-13: 978-0918333162 | Publication Date: July 27, 2006

One of the most prized segments of the Wadsworth Atheneum's permanent collection is the large group of French 18th-century porcelains bequeathed by the renowned collector J. Pierpont Morgan. More than 250 individual pieces from the manufactories of Saint-Cloud, Chantilly, Villeroy-Mennecy, Vincennes, and Sevres are published in full in this catalog. Extensive research by the authors gives important insights into this impressive collection and significantly advances our knowledge of French porcelain. The catalogue has 200 entries and each is illustrated with over 90 color plates and more than 220 black-and-white photographs, with 400 thumbnail illustrations of the marks. Each entry covers the history of each piece, its form, usage, and decoration, and provides commentary on dating, style, and decorators. The porcelain has been arranged chronologically by type within each manufactory. An introductory essay further recounts the part played by J. Pierpont Morgan in acquiring the porcelain and other French decorative arts at the beginning of the twentieth century. Its glossary of terms and techniques and the full index add to the accessibility of the text.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

LINDA H. ROTH is senior curator and Charles C. and Eleanor Lamont Cunningham Curator of European Decorative Arts at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut.
CLARE LE CORBEILLER is the former Emeritus Curator of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 420 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Atheneum (July 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0918333164
• ISBN-13: 978-0918333162
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,074,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous French porcelain collection, September 1, 2009

By 

Ivor E. Zetler (Sydney Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: French Eighteenth-Century Porcelain at the Wadsworth Atheneum: J. Pierpont Morgan Collection (Hardcover)

J Pierpoint Morgan (1937-1913) was involved in a mind boggling array of of business and miscellaneous activities during his lifetime. How he found time to do his collecting beggars belief. Morgan was one of the most voracious collectors in history; at the time of his death in 1913 he had accumulated around 20,000 objects. At that time the collection was valued at 50 million dollars.

This catalogue presents and describes 200 items of 18th century French porcelain located in the Wadsworth Atheneum, the majority of which were originally in Morgan's collection. The first 53 items are from the Saint-Cloud, Chantilly and Villeroy-Mennecy factories, the other 147 are from Vincennes and Sevres.

To be seen in this collection are vases, tea wares, figures, flowerpots, table wares and so forth. Have no doubt that the quality of the porcelain is invariably of the highest order. The fabulously wealthy Morgan obviously had a discerning and cultured eye and money was of no object. After all, it was he that coined the phrase "if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it".

This is a luxuriously presented book written by authorities in this area of decorative art. The photographs are often generously sized and excellently reproduced. My only complaint is that, for an expensively priced product, there are far too many black and white images. Otherwise I highly recommend this beautiful book to porcelain enthusiasts.