Newly restored ceramics galleries at the V&A

AS Byatt on the newly restored ceramics galleries at the V&A | Books | The Guardian: "The purely chronological juxtapositions bring out all sorts of surprising contrasts and coincidences. Two of the early vessels are a Korean water sprinkler, in celadon glazed stoneware, with a graceful inlaid weeping willow decoration, dating from 1150-1200, and a Chinese storage jar dating from 1025-50, glazed with cream-coloured slip, and decorated with twining incised punched flower patterns that look as though they are early Art Nouveau. Both are lovely; both could be modern. A later group of vessels includes a Korean porcelain jar with a grinning writhing dragon, painted in underglaze brown (1600-1800), Josiah Wedgwood's triumphant black jasper recreation of the Portland vase (1790) and, huge and delightful next to it, a 30-gallon, fat (but elegant) jug, c 1830, from Staffordshire, in blue and white transfer printed earthenware."