Painted Platters by Bernard Leach

Bernard Leach (1887–1979) holds a pivotal role in ceramics, often cited as the “Father of British Studio Pottery.” Born in Hong Kong and educated in England, he made significant contributions to the field during his years in Japan. There, he became close friends with Shoji Hamada, another transformative figure in pottery. Their collaborative work was instrumental in fusing Eastern and Western philosophies and techniques. Leach’s relationship with Yanagi Sōetsu, the founder of the enduring Mingei (folk craft) movement, further enriched his ideas on the integration of craftsmanship and community into art.

Leach’s work has had a personal impact on me, an influence that likely began with shelves full of Japanese folk arts that my parents purchased while living in Japan before I was born. This shaped the artworks I connected with and made Bernard Leach’s melding of Japanese and British philosophies feel right to me.

Obtaining a student’s visa, I ventured to Japan in my 20s to immerse myself in pottery. The experience has shaped my philosophy of ceramic art and even provides a foundation for my thoughts on contemporary drawing and painting today.

For this V.Note, I’ve curated a selection of Leach’s painted plates and woven in snippets of his guiding philosophies. As you explore, consider how his ideas might echo or challenge your own artistic philosophies.

Influenced by the Mingei (folk art) movement in Japan, Leach admired unpretentious, straightforward designs that let the material speak for itself. He was not a fan of overly ornate or complicated pieces.

Leach believed in the potter’s role as a member of the community, responsible for contributing to the general well-being through their work. This was not just in the physical sense of making functional wares, but also in an ethical dimension where the potter had a duty to maintain standards of craftsmanship and aesthetics.

Leach was critical of industrial methods that removed the human touch from the process of making. He believed that pottery should be made on a human scale, favoring smaller kilns and hand methods over large-scale industrial techniques.

Having spent important years in Japan, Leach attempted to synthesize the best elements of Eastern and Western traditions in his work. He appreciated the aesthetic principles of Japanese art, such as Wabi-sabi (the beauty in imperfection), and tried to integrate them into a Western context.

For Leach, pottery wasn’t just about the finished product; it was about the process, the lifestyle, and the philosophical underpinnings that went into making each piece. He explored these themes in depth in his seminal work, “A Potter’s Book.”