
Highlights in this issue

A portrait of the 'Raphael of silk design'
Jean Revel (1684-1751), the ‘Raphael of silk design’ had his portrait painted in 1747 in Lyon. This article focuses on the dress and furniture in this portrait, investigating the message the artist and the sitter conveyed consciously or inadvertently.

Encounters in the Archive: Reflections on costume
This paper discusses and reflects upon aspects of the practice-based research project led by the author and titled Encounters in the Archive, which resulted in a 17 minute film depicting artist/researcher interactions with theatre costume and other archived, difficult to access objects in the V&A.

A study of a Ming dynasty ceramic pillow
Chinese ceramic pillows are certainly very different in form to their Western equivalents. Seemingly straightforward in function, this type of object has been easily overlooked by art and design historians. This essay analyses the social value and multiple functions of ceramic pillows in Ming dynasty China, in relation to a pillow in the V&A collections.

Another dimension: integrating music with the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries
This paper, written by a former member of the galleries concept team and the research associate on the ‘Listening Gallery’s’ project, focuses on the innovative integration of new recordings of period music with the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries, covering Europe 300-1600.
Issue No. 4 Summer 2012
- Editorial
- A portrait of the 'Raphael of silk design'
- Encounters in the Archive: Reflections on costume
- A study of a Ming dynasty ceramic pillow
- Another dimension: integrating music with the Medieval & Renaissance Galleries
- William Bower Dalton: Potter and teacher
- The silent traveller: Chiang Yee in Britain 1933-55
- Room 38A and beyond: post-war British design and the Circulation Department
- The Silvern Series: Photographs from the collections of the South Kensington Museum
- Review of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Galleries of Buddhist Art at the V&A
- How to submit a proposal to the V&A Online Journal