Known as "white gold," porcelain was among the most treasured discoveries in 18th-century France. From the banquet table to the boudoir, porcelain was welcomed into France's most venerated chateaus and estates, and found favor with Louis XV and his mistress, Madame de Pompadour. With their encouragement, the Royal Porcelain Manufacture at Sevres drew an incredible selection of alchemists, designers, and artisans from across Europe. The porcelain produced there was unparalleled in quality, design, and decoration. In this dazzling book, Christopher Maxwell explores the V&A's superb porcelain collection, now on exhibit in the new Ceramics Galleries.