No comments about Thrown Pottery Techniques Revealed: The Secrets of Perfect Throwing.

No comments about Spanish Medieval Ceramics in Spain and the British Isles =: Ceramica Medieval Espa~nola En Espa~na y Las Islas Britanicas (Bar British Series).

1 comments about Egon Schiele.

1. This book is an ideal size for my art collection. Big books are heavy, and knowing that I can find every picture that is still known of a particular artist takes some of the excitement out of seeing what is on the next page. Some of the early pages, and even worse, plates 62 and 63, have pictures in black and white, which isn't the way I expect to see them, because I know they have been robbed of the original color. The list of plates numbers 73, which is a fair number for 80 pages. The Contents lists 8 topics, all of which are interesting enough, and "The Artist and Society" was particularly a problem for Egon Schiele. I think the most is packed into those seven pages, which includes pictures of Lovers 1911, Self-Portrait 1912, Agony 1912, Nude Black-Haired Girl Standing 1910, Prisoner! 24 April 1912, Cardinal and Nun 1912, Hindering the Artist is a Crime, It Is Murdering Life in the Bud! 23 April 1912, For my Art and for My Loved Ones I will Gladly Endure to the End! 25 April 1912, and Fighter 1913. I relate most strongly to the (in prison)autobiographical portraits, and I'm disappointed that Self-Portrait with Hand to Cheek 1918 is not in color on page 27, but the explanation on the following page is good, even if it mentions his critics: "Alessandra Comini has put forward the convincing explanation that, whatever else it may mean, the gesture is a punning reference to the artist's name: in German the verb schielen means to squint, and apparently a number of hostile critics used this correspondence to make sarcastic jokes about Schiele's eyesight." (p. 28) Plate 72 is a late portrait which I have seen in an art museum, exhibited with other paintings. The paint covers the canvas and it is signed, Egon Schiele 1918, the year of Schiele's death, but the final comment of this book is "This, the most painterly of all his late works, is a final, monumental statement of Schiele's vision of the artist. It was left unfinished at his death." It is not clear from the picture what more he might have done, and he previously had left things out. If he was going to finish anything, I think he should have given the Black-Haired Girl Standing in 1910 a right elbow.

No comments about The Sylvac Illustrated Collectors Handbook.

No comments about Greek Transport Amphorae (Fitch Laboratory Occasional Paper).

No comments about The Ceramics of Kaminaljuyu, Guatemala (The Pennsylvania State University Press Monograph Series on Kaminaljuyu).

No comments about Tokoname (Famous Ceramics of Japan).

3 comments about St. Ives Artists: Bernard Leach (St. Ives Artists).

1. It is interesting that in today's day and age there are still so many people who would defend the Old Man (Leach) to the death. In doing some research on Bernard Leach, I cam across De Waal's publication. He offers a healthy, dissenting view to the norm that Leach contributed so much to today's pottery. Will Leach's devout followers also tell you that he hardly ever threw his own pots, but rather had them made for him to decorate? That he dismissed traditions with the flick of the wrist, that didn't fit into his concept of ceramics, such as those of France, Italy or Scandinavia? Or that he preached humility, but was himself quite an autocratic character? That he had an exhibition in Seoul, while it was under Imperial Japanese occupation? That many people thought (and still think) his work to be quite bland? That ceramic sculpture was as good as non-existent to him?

   At least De Waal's book offers another view than that usually propogated by the 'Leach School of Thought'. I would say that it was quite an objective one, in contrast to the review by that reader from Sussex, England. Don't be fooled, unless you are a die-hard follower with a Leach altar in the corner of your studio, this is certainly a valuable book on Leach's lifes work. In contrast to that other review, I would also say that De Waal's book is not all critical. It takes you through Leach's various stages in life fairly objectively. Actually De Waal could have been much more critical (if not scathing) of some of Leach's idiosyncrasies.




2. Having been a pottery student, who then found a niche in the pottery world, De Waal has chosen to write a bitter attack on the man who was solely responsible for the renaissance of the pottery movement in Britain at the early years of the century! There have been few books that so arbitrarily set out to mock the artistic talent of Bernard Leach, a clear-sighted Edwardian man, born in the Victorian era, and who was to live through further reigns of another three monarchs. The pottery of De Waal has little connection to that of what Leach was trying to achieve, and yet De Waal has managed to make a name for himself, with virtually no nod of head towards the man who he chose to follow initially.

   His book lacks any sympathy, courage, or honesty. It bears no relation to the pottery world that Leach was promoting, instead his book seems to be nothing more than a catalogue of the latest fashions in the present domestic ceramic world. He has no taste, and his trite, simplistic pieces of moulded clay insult the great artistic legacy that Leach had initiated. But for Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, for instance, the method of "feathering" designs on slipware pottery would have been lost for another hundred plus years..

   Do not waste your money on the De Waal book, instead, buy the book [by Sara Hogben] on The Art of Bernard Leach, which can be found via the net. A far superior book.




3. As I dove into Edmond De Waals book on bernard Leach, my interest was captured immediatley. Leach's early history and experiences in Japan were exciting. Even though I struggled with the pronunciation of Japanese names and places I found the historical accounts were well written. When reading this book I couldn't help but imagine myself making pots in Japan experiencing Japanese tradition, culture, and the arts.

   I thought it was interesting to see the transition in Leach's work as he moved from Japan to St. Ives England. I like how Leach tried to gain local character in his work after moving to England. This is something that is important to the Japanese and their tradition of local potteries. Leach's ability to adapt to his environment while making pots made him successful as an artist. This book clearly shows the distinct adaptions Leach made to suit his clients needs without loosing his artistic touch.

   I especially enjoyed the last chapter of this book. In my opinion it is an excellent summary of Leach's life and his accomplishments. I really like where the author talks about "Leach Style" and how people categorize it as "muddy colors, unarticulated forms, indeterminate orientel-ish burshwork and a certain modesty of ambition." I agree with the the author that Leach was more diverse than that. From 1920 and in to the 1960's he did everything from "drawing, engraving, etching, painting, slip-decorating, combed decoration into clay, sgraffitio, fluting and so on." In my opinion Leach is the father of modern day studio ceramics. This book is inspirational for anyone pursing the field of functional ceramics. I would recommend this book to anyone studying or enquiring of Bernard Leach.

No comments about Hand Painted Porcelain the Australasian Porcelain Art Teachers Collection 1991.

No comments about Bristol Pottery 1784 - 1972.