For thousands of years an enigmatic and astonishingly beautiful piece of Roman art has captivated those who have come in contact with it.Made before the birth of Christ; the Portland Vase; as it is called; is renowned for both its beauty and its mystery.In The Portland Vase; Robin Brooks takes us on a vivid journey across Europe and through the centuries; as this delicate piece of glass; less than ten inches in height; passes through the hands of a stunning cast of characters; including the first Roman emperor; Augustus; a notorious tomb raider; a reckless cardinal; a princess with a nasty gambling habit; the ceramics genius Josiah Wedgwood; the secretive Duchess of Portland; and a host of politicians; dilettantes; and scam artists.Rich with passion; inspiration; jealousy; and endless speculation; the story of The Portland Vase spans more than two thousand years and remains one of the art worlds greatest enigmas.
#1857877 in eBooks 2009-10-13 2009-10-13File Name: B000OI0E5E
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Academia and Writing.By zela CharltonI have a problem with some very academic people who do not write well. Too often the ideas are fine and the sequence is ok but they fail to use normal language and the writing does not flow. Dealing with new and/or complex ideas the reader need to have simplicity of words not to find they have to reread some passages to get an understanding of the meaning - because it is presented in too involved a way.Sometimes I am uncharitable enough to think that they need to make up a quota of words to satisfy a publisher or department head.This book is only slightly tipping in this direction and I find it interesting.I think I would like to have a summary in basic English; without footnote references as distractions. But thats academia for you...