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V & A: A Hundred Highlights
80 pages, Paperback
Published April 2, 1997
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November 7, 2025
Tough trying to highlight a mere 100 items in the V&A, but Anna Jackson did it bravely and well, down to the pictures and overviews, otherwise I wouldn't have given The Becket Casket more than a quick glance simply because there is so much to see: over 3 million objects, housed in the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design.
It was built in 1851, with a bit of assistance from Prince Albert, after the grand success of the Great Exhibition of 1851, as many of the exhibits from the opening Exhibition were purchased by the museum.
Today, amongst others, it is home to the largest ceramics and glass collection in the world with every continent represented, the largest collection of Italian maiolica outside Italy, and the largest collection of Turkish Iznik pottery in the world - the entire fourth floor is mostly dedicated to this newly-blossomed preoccupation of mine.
I shall add a couple of items to Anna Jackson's highlights:
* The Flower Pyramid, from 1695, measuring 114.3cm.
*The John Evelyn Cabinet, made in Florence with Evelyn ordering the pietre dure plaques directly from Domenico Benotti, who was then considered to be one of the 'Celebrated masters'.
*The Howard Grace Cup, from 1526, a rare precious metal object that shows the transition between the Renaissance and Gothic styles.
*The Pugin Armoire, made by Pugin himself and displayed at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
*The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries, made between 1430 – 1450 and probably the most beautifully intricate tapestry I have ever seen.
*The Day Dream, the first time I saw her many many moons ago, she was perched on a wall at the National Gallery, it was lovely to see her here.
*Great Bed of Ware built in 1590, it measures 3.38m long and 3.26m wide, was mentioned in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Dickens' The Holly Tree, and Byron's Don Juan.
It was built in 1851, with a bit of assistance from Prince Albert, after the grand success of the Great Exhibition of 1851, as many of the exhibits from the opening Exhibition were purchased by the museum.
Today, amongst others, it is home to the largest ceramics and glass collection in the world with every continent represented, the largest collection of Italian maiolica outside Italy, and the largest collection of Turkish Iznik pottery in the world - the entire fourth floor is mostly dedicated to this newly-blossomed preoccupation of mine.
I shall add a couple of items to Anna Jackson's highlights:
* The Flower Pyramid, from 1695, measuring 114.3cm.
*The John Evelyn Cabinet, made in Florence with Evelyn ordering the pietre dure plaques directly from Domenico Benotti, who was then considered to be one of the 'Celebrated masters'.
*The Howard Grace Cup, from 1526, a rare precious metal object that shows the transition between the Renaissance and Gothic styles.
*The Pugin Armoire, made by Pugin himself and displayed at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
*The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries, made between 1430 – 1450 and probably the most beautifully intricate tapestry I have ever seen.
*The Day Dream, the first time I saw her many many moons ago, she was perched on a wall at the National Gallery, it was lovely to see her here.
*Great Bed of Ware built in 1590, it measures 3.38m long and 3.26m wide, was mentioned in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Dickens' The Holly Tree, and Byron's Don Juan.
Displaying 1 of 1 review