Accidental Masterpiece
This stoneware bowl by the English potter Bernard Leach was given to the V&A by Lt-Colonel K. Dingwall, a generous …
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Ceramic Points of View: 'Optical Pot', by Elizabeth Fritsch
On this page you can discover the six people's responses to 'Optical Pot', made in 1980 by Elizabeth Fritsch (born …
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Shipwrecked ceramics
Asian ceramics have been the subject of international and inter-Asian trade for over one thousand years. The bulk o…
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Ceramic Points of View: 'Big White Jug', by Alison Britton
On this page you can discover the six people's responses to 'Big White Jug', made in 1987 by Alison Britton OBE (bo…
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Ceramic Points of View: 'Pot', by Hans Coper
On this page you can discover the six people's responses to 'Pot', made in 1975 by Hans Coper (1920-1981).…
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A-Z of Ceramics - V is for Veilleuse
This unusual device derives its name from the French for a night vigil. It was used to keep a drink or portion of semi-liquid food warm at night-time, initially only at the bedside of infants or invalids, but from about 1800 for more general use. In the days before electric timers, it was the nearest thing to a combined 'teasmade' and nightlight.
Burial customs in China
The custom of burying grave goods with dead bodies lasted a long time, so the artefacts that remain range from Neolithic times (about 5000 BC) to the end of the Ming dynasty (1644). Inevitably, most of them come from the graves of the few with wealth and power; the lives of most people passed into history unrecorded.
Ceramic Points of View: 'Madonna', by William Staite-Murray
On this page you can discover the six people's responses to 'Madonna', made around 1930 by William Staite-Murray (1881-1962).
Ceramic Points of View: 'Cup on Base', by Gillian Lowndes
On this page you can discover the six people's responses to 'Cup on Base', made in 1986 by Gillian Lowndes (born 1936).
Traditional Japanese pastimes: the tea ceremony
Japan is famous for the tea ceremony, a special occasion involving particular objects and rituals, which aims to create the illusion of separation from the everyday world. The host invites guests to a special room to share the enjoyment of tea and to appreciate prized tea utensils in a carefully cultivated atmosphere.
A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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