Discover the fascinating history of ceramics as a cornerstone of human civilization. This major new history by Paul Greenhalgh traces the story of ceramic art and industry from the Ancient Greeks to the present day, showcasing its integral role in domesticity, business, religion, art, and more. Explore the evolution of ceramic cultures across millennia, from the Greeks and Romans to Islamic and Chinese traditions, and their influence on the Italian Renaissance. Delve into the production of porcelain in China and Europe, the emergence of studio pottery, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and the contemporary explosion of ceramic making. This comprehensive hardcover book weaves together the history of ceramic objects, the culture surrounding them, and their profound meaning. It reveals ceramics as a ubiquitous art form, at once cheap and expensive, elite and plebeian, high-tech and low-tech, making it the most peculiar and extraordinary of all the arts. **Summary:** Bloomsbury Publishing PLC - Ceramic, Art and Civilisation - Hardcover - First edition - English - Paul Greenhalgh (Author) - 512 pages - ISBN 9781474239707