The title truly describes this historical and scholarly work on a notable British collector extraordinaire. William Beckford had the advantage of wealth, social status, and privilege, and he used these assets to acquire one of the most distinctive 19th-century decorative arts collections of his time, including not only European works but those of Asian and Islamic cultures spanning several centuries. The first portion of this outstanding catalog for an exhibition at Bard, which will travel to London this year, briefly discusses Beckford's life but concentrates on his collections and insight as a discriminating collector. The last portion contains the exhibition catalog of 160 objets d'art arranged not chronologically but by significant aspects of his life. Ostergard (director, Bard Graduate Ctr. for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture) dramatically enhances the text with the excellent use of historical drawings and sketches. The exhibition items reveal Beckford's varied interests in architecture, design, and the decorative arts through fine examples of furniture, metalwork, porcelain, and rare lacquer objects. The entire volume is well documented through detailed chapter endnotes, source notes, and a bibliography. Highly recommended for collections focusing on the decorative arts and design. Stephen Allan Patrick, East Tennessee State Univ. Libs., Johnson City
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
A scholarly saga of Beckford as collector, designer and builder. . .experts provide new research and fascinating detail. . . -- Linda Hales, Washington Post Book World
[E]xcellent use of historical drawings and sketches. . . Highly recommended for collections focusing on the decorative arts and design. -- Library Journal
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