From the titles of the books, it is obvious that the books discuss the tradition of pottery and ceramic. The two volumes of History of Ancient Pottery by Samuel Birch highlight the history of pottery in Ancient Roman and Ancient Egypt. The cover was also lavishly decorated with its marbling and leather cover, illustrating the printing culture of the West. The two well-documented volumes by Birch were perhaps used for education and academic scholarship because of the immensity in their content.
The other book included in this exhibition is Chinese Porcelain (宣德 – Xuande) documents the history of porcelains and ceramics in China, during the reign of Xuande Emperor – the fifth Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1425 to 1435). Unlike the two accompanied volumes, 宣德 was intended for the general public with little knowledge of Chinese porcelain and ceramics tradition. The book was perhaps used for a catalog instead of materials for academic research.
Although both books cover the same topics – pottery, each book also carries their own cultural values and tradition. During the journey of our exploration, we also found language as a crucial tool for the transference of information and knowledge. While the Chinese Porcelain book concerns was mainly in Chinese, it also contains English translation as well. The translation shows an appreciation to the cultures and the tradition of the East.
Uyen Nguyen