Living with ceramics: display and care

Ceramic and terracotta works reward being lived with — but they ask for a little care in return. The two things that matter most are stability and a steady environment.

Mount a piece so it cannot be knocked: a discreet, reversible museum mount is far safer than a crowded shelf. Keep works away from direct heat and from swings in humidity, which stress old bodies and repairs.

Dust with a soft, dry brush rather than a cloth, which can catch on friable surfaces. When a work must travel, it is packed by a specialist handler — never shipped as an ordinary parcel.