"Although the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is well known for its superb and extensive holdings of Chinese ceramics, many of the outstanding pieces in the collection have received little or no attention in print. This book remedies that omission. Designed for the general reader, it offers a selection of 79 ceramic objects beautifully photographed in full color, with individual entries focusing on the aesthetic experience they evoke and the cultural context that produced them.

An introductory essay outlines the history of the collection - from export wares brought home by 19th-century New England sea traders to acquisitions reflecting an increasingly sophisticated appreciation of the works prized in China. Interspersed among the entries are brief descriptions of the principal types of Chinese ceramics and a concise essay on their conservation and study.

An illustrated timeline and a kiln map fill in the historical and geographical settings for nearly 5,000 years of Chinese ceramic art."--BOOK JACKET.