The Portland Vase: The Extraordinary Odyssey of a Mysterious Roman Treasure

by Robin Brooks

Created for an emperor, exhumed from a burial ground, coveted, traded, smashed, restored, and stuffed full of incident and intrigue, the Portland Vase -- the most famous of all Roman antiquities -- has captivated everyone who has come into contact with it. Robin Brooks's The Portland Vase is a great romp through history with this fragile, enigmatic vessel, which has touched the lives of an array of compelling characters. Following the vase's journey across Europe over the centuries, we meet the notorious tomb-robber-cum-budding-archaeologist Fabrizio Lazzaro, who "discovered" the vase; Pope Urban VIII, who hoped to enhance his image by acquiring it; the Princess of Palestrina, who supported her nasty gambling habit by auctioning it off; the Duchess of Portland, who kept her ownership of the vase a secret; the ceramics genius Josiah Wedgwood, who devoted nearly a lifetime to trying to create a satisfactory reproduction; the Irishman who shattered it and the restorers who have since repaired it; and a host of other politicians, dilettantes, and scam artists. Their stories -- how they came by the vase, how they disposed of it, and how it affected them -- result in a narrative rich with passion, inspiration, and jealousy that spans more than two thousand years. Made before the birth of Christ, when glassblowing was still a new art, the Portland Vase remains unparalleled in its craftsmanship. Surprisingly, despite the extraordinary technological advances of the past two thousand years, how, exactly, the vase was made remainsa mystery. But this is only one of the riddles that still surrounds the vase. Today art historians still can't agreeon the identity of the figures depicted on it, or what story these figures are meant to tell. Furthermore, who made the vase? What was it used for? The Portland Vase remains one of the art world's greatest enigmas. A continuing inspiration for artists, poets, historians, and art collectors, the vase now sits quietly in a little glass case in the British Museum -- seemingly inviolate, perfect, eternal.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Art, Art History, Science, Historical

250 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Robin Brooks was born in Leeds and brought up in Sheffield and Manchester.

He won an exhibition at Christchurch College, Oxford, where he studied English Literature. He started writing for Empty Space Theatre company in 1989. His first critical success was an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde which was performed all over the world from 1990 to 1997. He started writing Radio drama for BBC Radio 4 in 1992 and has since written many plays and series. Robin is one of the most commissioned writers of Radio Drama, working with the BBC and other independent companies as well as for his own company, Allegra Productions. He lives and works in Suffolk.

Reviews

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: colonialism, death, cheating, mentions of murder.

I've had this book sitting on my shelves unread for the better part of a decade now. Whoops?? But in all seriousness, I could easily have just left this sitting there and continued on with my life because I really don't feel like I got very much out of it.

The titular "mystery" is mostly about what the vase actually depicts and frankly? I didn't care. I didn't care whether it was Alexander the Great or some random Roman emperor or a Greek myth or any of the other theories from over the centuries. I just...didn't care.

Personally, I would have found this far more interesting if the first half had been a history of the vase and the various hands it had passed through and the second half had been dedicated to the various conservation attempts the vase has undergone throughout its history. But that might just be me...

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved Wedgwood jasperware since I was a girl, so this book was like the key to a treasure chest, since so much Wedgwood was inspired by it. The stories about the provenance of the famous ancient vase are amusing and the author's tone is perfect. I believe that in my hardcover copy one of the plates depicting a side of the vase was flopped--an inexcusable error in this particular publishing project.

[Kayla Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have enjoyed this "odyssey" a good deal more if there had been illustrations of the vase and it's decorative figures. Pictures of some of the characters involved in the vase's extensive ownership history would have helped add more reader visualization. It was an interesting journey. Enormous interest and speculation over its origin, purpose and very little conclusion. Even when shattered, it retained incredible value. Quite impressive for a glass picece. Overall, the book was well written, had a historical time that was a little confusing at times, adequately descriptive but the content could have been bolstered by at least a few illustrations.

[B Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd read The Portland Vase when it was first published, and decided to grab it off the shelf for a re-read. Surprisingly, it was a lot more detailed then I remember - better to not read as a late night book for fear of missing some of the in-depth analysis and side stories. Altogether a good read with some fun side stories, especially Horace Walpole and his Gothic villa at Strawberry Hill.

[Lala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining cast of characters, and compelling historic intrigue. I wanted to learn about Rome and I learned much more than that. The vase is a nice vessel (pun intended) with which to learn history. I really enjoyed the last line, too.

[Lee Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.89 - A fascinating tale of a beguiling object populated with a host of interesting and mysterious characters, not unlike those on the vase itself. Written in a down to earth style, this is an excellent blend of history and art.

[Vincent Huang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Think of this book as a roughly organized compiled notes of research regarding the vase.

[Analisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review: https://sites.google.com/view/ani-rea...

[Roxanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is sort of a pop archaeology book; Brooks is described on the cover flap as "an actor and author"--he's not an expert in the field. It's well researched, though, with an extensive bibliography, and it's decently written. Brooks describes the (possibly falsified) finding of the vase in a Roman tomb in the 1500s and then follows its story ever since, describing all the crazy people who've owned it, studied it, copied it, or damaged it over its long life. He also goes into all the theories that abound regarding the mysterious figures depicted on the vase. A little slow at some points--I've been working on it since last week--but overall, it was a fun read.

[Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The vase is an artistic and technical marvel and all the more wonderful for its association with Caesar Augustus and Roman mythology. The text is also a ramble through the colorful lives of the vase's various owners and the people who came into contact with it. IMHO, the author is a little casual about some of his "facts," but there's no doubt that this is an entertaining read for anyone interested in a masterpiece in glass.

[Karen Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. A mystery combined with a history book. Kept me entertained all the way to the end. A social history of the English aristocracy and a tantalising introduction to Roman myths and legends. I definitely want to tead more and visit the British museum.
It is amazing the vase survived all it' s adventures.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was exactly my favorite kind of narrative nonfiction - it's history, and I learned a lot from it, but it also told a wonderful story. I didn't know anything about the Portland Vase - I'd never heard of it before picking up this book! - and now I wish I'd know about it when I was in London a few years ago. I definitely would've made it a point to go see it!

[Caroline Capitano · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real historical mystery

This reads like a mystery initially, as I read on I recognized the plot line for several enjoyable movies unroll. If you enjoyed the film “Red violin” you will love this book.

[Marianne]

RA to Non-fic

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing, amazing, amazing book, i thoroughly loved this - i had never thought a vase would have so much to tell and so much could be woven in to that story. highly recommended

[Rebekkila]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11565162

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book about a beautiful work of art.

[Guruscotty]

amazing odyssey for an object!