Studio: international art (24.1902)

The Potters Art

Clement Massier, and others, we are able to
realise how beautiful and full of unique interest
the art of pottery may become in the hands of
those who understand the possibilities and limita-
tions of the craft; but if we desire to be more
fully enlightened with regard to the possibilities of
the art we cannot do better than make a careful
study of the features distinguishing some of
the native pottery of China, Corea, and Japan.
At the outset, however, let it be understood that
we do not refer to objects that have been made
exclusively for export, and are sold by grocers and
drapers in Europe and America. It is from wares
made solely for native use, and especially from
those produced under the influence of the chajin
in Japan that lessons of value may be drawn;
for it is these wares which are ethically the most
perfect, following as they naturally do in every
process of their manufacture the laws most
essential to their being.

It has been said, and with a modicum of truth,
that Art often exists in her truest form in the works
of the handicraftsman, where her presence has least
been courted. The worker, intent only upon the
perfection of the object for the purpose required,
produces unconsciously that which may some-
times be dignified by the name of Art. It is
certain that we often find in the peasant pottery ot
England and France, of Spain and Egypt, made
solely for use by the people, certain characteristics
of form and colour which satisfy the aesthetic sense
in a far higher and purer degree than the decorated
objects made for the ornamentation of the drawing-
room, and dubbed by the tradesman "art-pottery."
Why is this so ? Simply because the peasant
potter is intent only upon the usefulness of his work
—on the making of a vessel that will be adapted
to the functions required of it, and he, therefore,
adopts every means he can compass to render it
as simply serviceable as possible. The beautiful
form of the large water-bottle used by dwellers
in the Nile valley has been perfected by number-
less generations of potters intent upon the same
work. Its pointed end, its bulbous form, its
narrow neck, the graceful shape of its handles, are
the results of continued effort to render it econo-
mical and thoroughly practical. It. is doubtful if
the question of elegance of form ever entered the
mind of the potter. But if it did, he certainly
never permitted his desire for beauty to prejudice,
in the smallest degree, the usefulness of the vessel.
The native-made water pitchers used by the
■villagers of Devonshire, of Western France, and of
many another district in Europe, are also beautiful

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in form for precisely the same reason. They
are entirely practical, and they possess nothing
that can be eliminated without diminishing their
usefulness.

Now the maker of ornamental "art pottery"
frequently casts aside all thoughts of usefulness
in his desire to satisfy the silly craving after
unornamental "ornaments" with which thoughtless
people crowd their living rooms. The result, from
an artistic point of view, is absolutely disastrous.
The objects he makes are unworthy the efforts of a
craftsman, and they satisfy no legitimate demands of
sestheticism whatsoever. Badly made of unsuitable
clay, imperfectly glazed, carelessly fired, covered with
painted-work which displays no knowledge of the
requirements of decorative art, they are intrinsic-
ally valueless.

"But, what will you?" says the potter; "Egyptian
waterbottles and Devonshire pitchers are in little
or no demand in the modern house." This may be
granted. The work, then, before us is to discover
that which is refined and legitimate in the potter's
craft, in order that we may thoroughly master the
nature of its excellencies and apply the principles
to the manufacture of those objects for which there
is a demand. Nowhere has the craft been carried
to such perfection as in the far East. There, its
every process has been studied for centuries under
the most ideal conditions. Every potter of ability
became a master craftsman, sometimes sharing a
kiln with others, but generally entirely independent
of outside help. Frequently under the patronage
of a prince or noble, he was encouraged in his
efforts to improve the quality and character of his
productions, and each object made by him had an
individual charm and beauty never attained in the
West. VVe have learnt almost all we know of the
higher branches of the art of pottery-making from
the far East. Our best productions are but imita-
tions of Chinese methods. But, if we have learnt
much, there is still more of the greatest possible
interest awaiting our investigation. The peasant-
pottery of the East is even more fascinating than
that of the West; and there are also many ex-
amples made by, or under the influence and guid-
ance of men of the highest knowledge and taste in
artistic matters, which, in their simplicity, may bear
some outward resemblance to village pottery, but
which, upon careful examination, show such marvels
of technical knowledge in manufacture and dexterity
of manipulation as to place them at once in the
highest rank of ceramic art. Village pottery, how-
ever good, does not entirely fulfil the demands of
cultured taste. A higher order of intellect than