The Portland Vase: Mania & Muse (1780-2023)

Traces the history of the Portland Vase as a global influencer in art and ceramics.

The Portland Vase, an ancient Roman glass cameo amphora held in the British Museum, has been a global brand that has resonated with makers, collectors, and consumers for centuries, replicated and reinterpreted countless times. The Portland Vase: Mania and Muse asks why and how a singular Classical vase becomes a legend, an “influencer,” and an artistic and commercial muse across time and place to artists such as Josiah Wedgwood, Viola Frey, Chris Wight, Michael Eden, Nicole Cherubini, Clare Twomey, and Roberto Lugo. Featuring more than sixty-five artworks, this richly illustrated catalog examines the role of brands in our culture, considers why Classical traditions dominate the artistic canon, and speculates on how that tradition might be reconsidered and disrupted.