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Eastern Ceramics and Other Works of Art from the Collection of Gerald Reitlinge

Willis, Deborah (editor)

Catalogue of the memorial Exhibition.; Oriental decorated wares and the subjects and styles of their decoration are the central theme of this catalogue, which presents a selection from the collection of the late Gerald Reitlinger.

Through the superb exemples of Chinese "Transitional" style blue and white porcelain, Japanese Kakiemon and the whole range of Islamic ceramics from the ninth century onwards, it becomes clear that Reitlinger was an early and highly descerning specialists in several families of decorated ware. In each category, the decoration is described, illustrated and placed in the context of current knowledge in the field by an expert from the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. A second theme of the catalogue lies in Reitlinger's interest in tracing connections between various types of decorated ware. In particular, his Islamic collection demonstrates the influence of Far Eastern designs, as does the smaller collection of European ceramics, put together with a similar intention towards the end of his life. The late Gerald Reitlinger was perhaps best known for his volumes on The Economics of Taste. He was also a noted connoisseur and collector in other fields of art, as well as of Eastern Ceramics, from the 1920s until his death in 1979. He left his collection to the Ashmolean Museum a dew years before he died and part of it is to be exhibited there in 1981. This catalogue marks the exhibition and clearly illustrates the value of the Reitlinger Collection for amateur and specialists alike.

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