Studio pottery

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 Overview
2 Pre 1900
3 Post 1900
4 Studio Potters
5 External links

[edit] Overview

Studio pottery is a branch of pottery that has in the last fifty years undergone a bit of a revolution. Although the term can be applied to lots of branches of pottery its in general used to describe contemporary pottery created after 1900 which was not made for a purpose but rather simply as an object of beauty or interest in itself. Its roots are often attributed to having Japanese origins being brought the west by Bernard Leach. He really was the father of studio pottery having introduced potters such as Shoji Hamada to the west and championed the cause of Lucie Rie and Hans Coper who are probably the best and most well known studio potters.

[edit] Pre 1900

The Studio Pottery movement has been described as an offshoot of the reformist Arts and Crafts movement. Although some attribute its start to Bernard Leach this is erroneous as others predated him although he was the potter who probably advanced the cause of this art form the most.

Martin Brothers of the Martinware Pottery from 1873

Fishley Pottery from early 1800s

William Moorcroft

Della Robbia Pottery (1894-1901)

William and Edward Taylor of the Ruskin Pottery from 1898

Charles Vyse 1882 - 1971

[edit] Post 1900

It is only in the second half of the 1900's thanks to pioneering work by Hans Coper and Lucie Rie that studio pottery began to really be known as an alternative pottery form. They in turn have trained and inspired a whole new generation of potters to follow in their footsteps as well as create even more alternative pottery forms (for example Ewen Henderson). Studio pottery is now a respected art form with important collections the world over and is slowly becoming very fashionable and collectable with potters such as Edmund de Waal and Rupert Spira having international recognition for their work despite being relatively young.