Stories of Ceramics

At the height of its success, Zsolnay was one of Europe's most celebrated ceramic manufacturers, renowned for its dazzling iridescent glazes and extraordinary Art Nouveau designs. But two world wars, political upheaval and the rise of communism would threaten everything the family had created.

In the second of two episodes, Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene explore the dramatic decline of Zsolnay's golden age and the devastating consequences of the factory's nationalisation in 1948. Stripped of their business, their home and their artistic legacy, the Zsolnay family faced an uncertain future as Hungary fell under Soviet influence.

But this is also an extraordinary story of rediscovery. Following the Hungarian uprising of 1956, a young engineer fled his homeland, eventually settling in America. A chance encounter with a forgotten piece of Zsolnay pottery sparked a lifelong passion that would lead him to assemble a remarkable collection and help return a lost chapter of Hungary's artistic heritage to its birthplace.

From the destruction of war to the revival of the historic factory in Pécs, this is a story of exile, survival and the enduring power of art to preserve a nation's identity.

Images in this episode:
Canteen from two flowering Bushes, ca. 1900, Zsolnay Factory courtesy of Stephnie Rozene Zsolnay at the Vienna World Fair, Ca. 1873.
Austria Declares war Front Page, 1914,
Assassination of the Archduke, Achille Beltrame, Ca. 1914, Creative Commons,
Gavrilo Princip in his prison cell, 1914, Creative Commons, Public Domain,
Zsolnay Factory Workers, Ca. Early 20th c.
Soviet Flag Raised in Hungary, Ca. 1945
Smoke of Chimneys is the breath of Soviet Russia Poster, Ca. 1922- 1930, Public Domain, Creative Commons,
Consumers Eye’s, Soviet Poster, 1921- 1925
Stalin’s pipe showing all his enemies Poster, Ca. 1930s, Creative Commons
Hungarian Communist Party Poster, Ca. 1950s
Map of Hungary After the Treaty of Trianon, 1920
Map of Post-WWII Partition of Hungary
Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, Ca. 2010s
Dr. László Gyugi, by Sóki Tamás
Montage of Hungarian Uprising, ca. 1956, Creative Commons
Student Demonstration in Budapest, Ca. 1956,
Russians Go Home graffiti, Ca. 1956, Creative Commons,
T-34-85 Tank in Budapest, Ca. 1956, Jack Metzger, Creative Commons,
Photos of Victims Outside the House of Terror Museum, Opened 2002, Creative Commons,

Additional images courtesy of Stephanie Rozene.

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Dennis Caouki

Audio: Joe Little
Social Producers: Grace Dewar & Eve Smith
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

From a struggling pottery factory in nineteenth-century Hungary to one of Europe's most celebrated ceramic manufacturers, the story of Zsolnay is one of extraordinary ambition, artistic innovation and family genius.

In the first of two episodes, Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene explore how the visionary businessman Vilmos Zsolnay transformed a modest factory in the city of Pécs into an international centre of ceramic excellence. At the heart of this remarkable transformation were his two daughters, Teréz and Júlia, whose pioneering designs drew on Hungarian folk traditions and influences from across the world.

Against the backdrop of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, industrial expansion and the rise of Art Nouveau, they uncover the revolutionary techniques, dazzling iridescent glazes and extraordinary craftsmanship that made Zsolnay famous.

This is the story of a family's creative vision, a nation's cultural identity and the golden age of one of Europe's most remarkable ceramic manufactories.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Zsolnay Family and the Golden Age of Hungarian Ceramics
• 00:02:47 Pecs: A Mediterranean City in the Heart of Hungary
• 00:04:02 The Zsolnay Factory Origins: From Pipes to Prestige
• 00:07:49 Political Context: The 1867 Austro-Hungarian Compromise
• 00:09:39 Vilmos Zsolnay: The Visionary Businessman
• 00:12:44 The Zsolnay Sisters: Terez and Julia's Design Revolution
• 00:15:32 Terez Zsolnay: Traditionalist and the Floral Renaissance
• 00:20:05 Julia Zsolnay: Avant-Garde Fusion of East and West
• 00:23:21 The Alhambra Vase: A Masterpiece of Islamic Homage
• 00:30:12 Eosin Glaze: The Iridescent Revolution of 1893
• 00:34:34 Art Nouveau and International Success
• 00:40:51 The Golden Age: 1870 to 1910

Images from this episode:
Vase with Flowers ca. 1901 and Vase with Bird Ca. 1902, Sándor Apáti Abt, Creative commons, Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:P%C3%A9cs_Zsolnay_cultural_quarter#/media/File:Gyugyi_collection_2.JPG
Panoramic of Pécs, Ca. 1840, L. Rohbock, Creative Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pecs_panoramic_c1840.jpg
Miklós Zsolnay Senior, 1800 – 1800, public domain
Buildings owned by the Zsolnay Family Ca. 19th c.public domain
Ignác Zsolnay, 1826 – 1900
Vilmos Zsolnay at the Zsolnay Museum, Creative Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9cs#/media/File:Zsolnay_Sz%C3%A9kely.JPG
Advertisement for Zsolnay Department Store, ca. 1850s 
Locomotive at Déli Railway Station, Hungary, Ca. 1905
Vilmos Zsolnay, Ca. 1890s, Creative Commons https://etruscanmajolica.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-majolica-of-zsolnay.html
Houses and Cottages Bordering Zsolnay Factory, Ca. 2010s, 
Rowntree Chocolate Factory, Ca. Late 19th C
Rowntree Chocolate Factory, Ca. 1933
The Development of Cite Ouvriere in Mulhouse, Ca. 19th c. Archives de Mulhouse.
The Zsolnay Family, Ca. 1890s
Teréz Zsolnay, 1854 – 1944, as above
Júlia Zsolnay, 1856 – 1950, as above
Vilmos Zsolnay and his family, Ca. 1860s as above
Teréz Zsolnay, 1854 – 1944
Júlia Zsolnay, 1856 – 1950, 
Bread Plate Ca. 1850, Augustus Pugin,The Met Collection
Janus Pannoninus Museum,
Photo of Tádé Sikorski, Ca. 1907, Public Domain Creative Commons,

Alhambra Vase, Ca. 1883-5, Tádé Sikorski, V & A Collection
Alhambra, Ca. 1878, Joseph-Theodore Deck, V & A Collection
Alhambra, Ca. 1877-90, Crown Derby Factory, The Met Collection
Zsolnay Logo, Ca. 1898-1900, Júlia Zsolnay, 
Brick Stacks, Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, Ca. 2015, Creative Commons,

Original Alhambra Vessel, Drawn by Diego Sánchez Saraboa, Ca. 1762, Creative Commons, Public Domain,
Eosin Glaze of Zsolnay Fountain, Installed in 1930, Creative Commons, Public Domain,
Memento Mori, Ca. 1900, Lászlo Mattyasovzky Zsolnay,
Vincze Wartha 1844 – 1914,
Eos, by Evelyn de Morgan, Ca. 1895 Creative Commons, Public Domain
Eosin Parrot, Ca. 1910, Zsolnay Factory, Creative Commons, Public Domain,
Roman Glass Fragments Ca. 43 - 410 CE, Creative Commons,
Early photograph of Hôtel Tassel, Creative Commons, Public Domian
Main Façade of Hôtel Tassel Built by Victor Horta, Ca. 1893, Creative Commons,
L’Art Nouveau Museum, Ca. 1900s,
Zsolnay at the Vienna World Fair, Ca. 1873.

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Dennis Caouki
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

At the heart of the Aztec Empire stood one of the most extraordinary cities in the ancient world – Tenochtitlan, built on an island and filled with temples, warriors, craftsmen and gods.

Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh explore the ceramics of the Aztecs, or Mexica, from beautifully made redware used for everyday food to extraordinary effigy vessels and monumental terracotta figures created for ritual and sacrifice. Through objects including the Eagle Warrior and the terrifying Lord of the Underworld, they uncover a world in which clay connected daily life with mythology, warfare, nature and the supernatural.

Finally, they explore the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and the devastating collapse of the Aztec Empire – and ask what its surviving ceramics can reveal about a civilisation whose influence can still be felt today.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Mesoamerica - The Aztecs: Clay, Gods and Sacrifice
• 00:00:41 The Mexica People and the Founding of Tenochtitlan
• 00:04:06 Engineering Marvels: Chinampa Agriculture and City Planning
• 00:07:16 Trade Networks and the Spanish Conquest
• 00:08:31 Domestic Redwares: Pottery for Daily Life
• 00:12:57 The Symbolic Power of Red: Blood, Sun, and Warfare
• 00:13:54 Templo Mayor: The Sacred Heart of the Empire
• 00:16:22 Tlaloc the Rain God: Turquoise Effigy Vessels
• 00:20:08 Animal Symbolism: Vessels as Gods and Creatures
• 00:22:28 The Eagle Warrior: Life-Size Ceramic Sculpture
• 00:26:39 The Lord of the Underworld: Terror in Clay
• 00:28:40 Sacrifice and Ceremony: Clay as Ritual Mediator
• 00:31:53 The Spanish Arrival and Cultural Devastation
• 00:37:35 Legacy: The Aztec Influence on Modern Life

Featured Images:
Codex Bourgia, c.16th century, Public Domain, Creative Commons
Map Aztex Empire, Public Domain, Creative Commons
Image of Eagle, Mendoza Codex, c.1541, Public Domain
Map of Tenochtitlan, ca. 1524, Public Domain
Model of Sacred Precincts in Tenochtitlan
Capital City of Tenochtitlan
Axtec Redware Bowl, c.15th-16th century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Eagle Warrior from the Hosue of Eagles, ca. 1400-152, Photograph by Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Vessel with Codex style ca.1350-1500, Public Domain
Image of Eagle, Mendoza Codex, c.1541, Public Domain
Aztec bowl, Public Domain
Aztec redware pitcher, 15-16th century, Public Domain
Aztec Bowl with Monkeys, 1400-1521, Public Domain
Aztec Bowl, Public Domain
Ceramic Tilaloc Effigy Vessel c.1440-1470
Vulture Vessel, c.1200-1521, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Warrior Codex Menoza, ca. 1541-1542, Public Domain
Lifesize Terracotta of Mictlantecuhtli, ca.1400-1521
Painting depicting the Fall of Tenochtitlan, second half of the 17th century, unknown artist. Wikimedia Commons.

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

What if a pot could be read like a book?

In the second part of their journey through Mesoamerica, Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh travel to the great ancient city of Cholula – a bustling centre of trade, pilgrimage and cultural exchange – to explore the extraordinary ceramics of the Mixtec-Puebla tradition.

Painted with gods, symbols and intricate bands of imagery, these highly prized vessels transformed clay into a sophisticated visual language that could communicate across cultures and linguistic barriers. From stories of warfare and sacrifice to sunlight, death and the worship of the gods, they reveal a world in which ceramics could be read as well as admired.

Traded across vast distances, these remarkable pots offer a glimpse into the beliefs, rituals and interconnected cultures of Mesoamerica – and lead us towards the rise of the Aztec Empire.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Mesoamerica - Mixtec Puebla: When Pots Told Stories
• 00:02:36 The Great City of Cholula: A Multi-Ethnic Trading Hub
• 00:05:44 Writing on Clay: Vessels as Visual Language
• 00:08:22 High-Value Commodities: Ritual Vessels and Elite Status
• 00:09:57 The Codex Style: Pictorial Manuscripts on Pottery
• 00:11:20 Forms and Materials: Earthenware Goblets and Burnished Surfaces
• 00:12:52 The Iconic Principle: Symbols for Gods and Rituals
• 00:14:35 Sacrifice, Duality, and the Pantheon of Gods
• 00:17:12 Color as Communication: Orange for Light, Black for Darkness
• 00:18:48 The Notational Principle: Bands That Resemble Speech
• 00:20:58 Reading the Bands: From Solar Gods to Darkness and Death
• 00:23:57 Narrative-Driven Culture: Pots That Tell Stories
• 00:25:54 Legacy and Connection: Linking to the Aztec Empire

Map of Mixteca-Puebla and Mesoamerica, Creative Commons

Map of Cholula

George Vaillant, archaeologist, ca. 1937, Creative Commons, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clapp_Vaillant#/media/File:AMNH_staff,_1937.jpg
Pyramids of the Sun, Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan, Mexico, by Burkhard Mücke created by SA CC 4.0

Map of Cholula, Ttlaxcala, 1581

Pyramid of Cholula, Ca. 1813, Alexander von Humboldt
Pedestal Bowl, 1300–1500 CE, Mixtec artists, The Met Collection, Public Domain

Vessel with Codex-Style Scenes, Creative Commons,

Mixteca-Puebla Pottery Vessel, c. 1300–1521,

Codex Borgia, from the 1898 Faximilie Edition, Public Domain, Creative Commons

Bowl, 1200–1400, Mixtec, Oaxaca, Mexico, National Gallery of Victoria, Public Domain

Pedestal Cup from Cholula, c. 1350–1521, Public Domain, Leo Stein Collection, National Museum of the American Indian, New York.

Thematic Complexes on Codex-Style Vessels from Cholula, Mixteca-Puebla, Americae, Public Domain https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Tripod Vase Polichrome Ceramic, 1300–1521

Bowl with Rattle Base, c. 900–1519, Cleveland Museum of Art, Public Domain

Censer with the Complex of Powerful Lords and Deities, Mixteca-Puebla, Americae, Public Domain https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Codex, 1200–1521, Mixteca

Whistle with the Maize God emerging from the Flower, 600 – 900 CE, The Met Collection, Public Domain

Cholula-Style Ceramic Goblet with Skeletal Serpent and Mountain Sign, Mixteca-Puebla, 1300 – 1500 CE

Rain God Mask, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Met Collection, Public Domain

Sun and Light Painted on Middle Polychrome Plate,
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Polychrome Figural Vessel of Chicomecoatl, c. 1000–1500, Mixteca-Puebla

Goblet with a Complex of Darkness, Ca. 1300 – 1500,

Mixtec Goblet, Ca. 1000 – 1500

Polychrome Ceramic Bowl, 800–1300, Mexico, Penn Museum, Public Domain

Pulque Drinking Cup, 900–1519, Cholula, Mixteca-Puebla style, Cleveland Museum of Art, Public Domain

Montezuma in the Codex Mendoza, 16th century, Creative Commons, Public Domain
Mixteca-Puebla Pottery Vessel, c. 1300–1521, The Met Collection, Public Domain,

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Dennis Caouki
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Journey into the extraordinary world of the Classic Maya, where ceramics were far more than objects for everyday use; they were vessels for food, status, storytelling, ritual and belief.

Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh explore the golden age of Maya ceramics, discovering how skilled potters created sophisticated hand-built vessels without the potter’s wheel. From humble cooking pots used to prepare maize to beautifully painted polychrome vessels and prized cacao cups, ceramics offer a remarkable window into Maya life.

They uncover the profound relationship between food and mythology, including the Maya creation story in which the first humans were made from corn, and explore how gods, rulers and ancient stories were painted across the surfaces of pots. They also enter the dramatic world of the Maya ball game, where sport, political power, sacrifice and the struggle between life and death became intertwined.

Beautiful, complex and sometimes unsettling, these surviving ceramics allow us to glimpse a civilisation in which the everyday and the sacred were inseparable – and where a simple clay vessel could tell the story of the cosmos.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Mesoamerica - The Maya: Gods, Myths and Ceramics
• 00:00:22 Defining Mesoamerica: Geography and the Maya World
• 00:04:31 Hand-Built Mastery: Pottery Without the Wheel
• 00:07:31 Corn and Clay: The Kitchen as Sacred Space
• 00:14:06 The Creation Myth: Humans Made from Corn
• 00:17:21 Forms and Functions: The Ceramic Repertoire
• 00:19:11 The Sensory Feast: Vessels That Ring and Sing
• 00:22:23 Codex Style Pottery: Visual Narratives and Funerary Offerings
• 00:27:11 The Ritual Ball Game: Life, Death, and Cosmic Balance
• 00:27:20 The Golden Age: Classic Maya Polychrome Ceramics

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

In the second of two episodes, Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh follow Peter Voulkos through the explosive years that transformed him from master potter into one of the most radical figures in modern ceramics.

From the experimental studios of Otis and Berkeley to his monumental Blackwares, stacks and platters, Voulkos tears, cuts, pounds and rebuilds clay, pushing it far beyond the traditional vessel. His performances become legendary, while a generation of students go on to reshape American ceramics themselves.

But behind the charismatic “wild man” lies a more complicated story of addiction, recovery and relentless creativity. Stephanie and Paul explore Voulkos’s later years and the extraordinary legacy of an artist who changed not simply how ceramics looked, but what clay could be.

Featured Images:

Rocking Pot, 1956, Peter Voulkos.

Pot Shop, UC Berkeley, c. 1960s, Jim Melchert.

Last Temptation of Ming, 2015, Ron Nagle.

Blue Face with White Stripe, 1971, Stephen De Staebler.

Looking at Pictures, 2016, Mary Heilmann.

Installation View of “New Talent XIII”, 1960, Peter Voulkos.

Peter Voulkos at Work in the Faith and Charity in Hope Gallery, 1984, Peter Voulkos.

Sunset Rip, 2008, Mary Heilmann.

Paul Soldner’s MFA Show, 1956, Paul Soldner, Peter Voulkos and John Mason.

Arlene Schechet in the Jewish Museum, 2018, Sara Wasserman.

Peter Voulkos at Work, by Stephanie Rozene

Installation View of Voulkos: The Breakthrough Years, [date unknown], Butcher Walsh.

Untitled Chicken Pot, 1958, Peter Voulkos. The New York Times, 2021.

Little Big Horn, 1959, Peter Voulkos.

ientos, 1959, Peter Voulkos.

Sitting Bull, 1959, Peter Voulkos.

Annon, 1959, Peter Voulkos. Photograph by E. G. Schempf, Museum of Arts and Design.

Pauline Annon,  circa 1950, Estate of Pauline Anon  

Peter Voulkos at Work, c. 1960s, 

Pinatubo, 1994, Peter Voulkos.

Ice Bucket, [date unknown], Peter Voulkos.

Bronze Ice Bucket, 1986, Peter Voulkos.

Iron Head, 1979, Peter Voulkos.

Selfies at the V and A, Stephanie Rosine and Paul Greenhalgh

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Peter Voulkos - A Revolution in Clay Part 2
• 00:00:59 Otis College and Building the Studio from Scratch
• 00:03:46 Industrial Scale: Dough Mixers, Modified Wheels, and Forklift Kilns
• 00:05:34 The Roll Call: Students Who Became Titans
• 00:07:26 New York Connections: MoMA and Abstract Expressionism
• 00:08:31 Berkeley Years: Founding a Program and Pure Theater
• 00:12:26 The Female Legacy: Mary Heilman and Breaking Boundaries
• 00:18:07 The Blackwares: Breakthrough Pieces and New Language
• 00:18:52 The Breakthrough Years: 15 Years of Frantic Experimentation
• 00:27:23 Settling Into Iconic Forms: Stacks, Ice Buckets, and Platters
• 00:28:06 Struggles and Redemption: The 1970s and 1980s
• 00:32:34 Recognition and Retrospective: The 1978 SFMOMA Show
• 00:34:02 Legacy: The Man Who Changed Everything

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

What happens when a master potter decides to break all the rules?

In the first of two episodes, Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh explore the life and work of Peter Voulkos, the artist who helped transform American ceramics after the Second World War.

From his Montana childhood and wartime service to his first encounter with clay, Voulkos begins as a brilliantly skilled traditional potter. But through teachers, fellow artists and the experimental world of 1950s America, he starts cutting, tearing and rebuilding clay in radically new ways.    By the mid-1950s, pottery was becoming sculpture and a revolution in clay was underway.

To see the images from this podcast, please switch to video in your podcasting app.

Featured Images:

Photo of Voulkos doing pottery by Stephanie Rozene

Photo Filming Voulkos at work, by Stephanie Rozene

Voulkos Correcting a student, Stephanie Rozene.

VOulkos nished platers on table, Stephanie Rozene

Photo of John Balistreri assisting Peter Voulkos. 1990s (Creative Commons)

Voulkos at Potters wheel, ca. 1956

Photo of Frances Senzka smiling

Photo of Edith Heath, Date Unknown, (Wikipedia)

Photograph of Maija-Grotell-1920s (Wikiedpia)

Marguerite finishing a vase, ca.1950s. 1998 Center for Creative Photography, The University of Arizona Foundation

Face Vessel, ca. 1970s, Marguerite Wildenhain

Archie Bray and Rudy Autio photograph, ca. 1951

Photograph of Frances Senska and her pots, 1988, Linda Best photo / Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

Chicken and Wine Set, 1960, Frances Senzka

Ya Ba Bo jar, 1970, Frances Senzka

Bottom of Ya Ba Bo jar, 1970, Frances Senzka

Peter Voulkos Painting his Ceramics, ca. 1950s

Ceramic National Piece, 1950, Peter Voulkos ????

Gourd Shaped Vases, Vases with Leaf, Green-Swirled Vases, 1952, Peter Voulkous

Archie Bray Putting Soda in Beehive Kiln ca. 1950s

Yanagi, Leach, Autio, Voulkous and Hamada at the Archie Bray Foundation

Voulkos kicking the wheel for Hamada at Archie Bray Foundation, 1952

Karen Karnes, (1925-2016), Western Regional Archives, State Archives of North Carolina

David Weinrib, (1924 – 2016)

Robert Rauschenberg at Black Mountain College, Black Mountain, NC, United States, circa 1951. Photo: Cy Twomble

M.C Richards (1914 – 1999) Wikipedia Picture

Untitled Stoneware with Acrylic Paint, ca. 1953, MC Richards Collaboration with Peter Voulkos

Covered Jar, 1953, Peter Voulkos

Jackson Pollock at work – photograph by Hans Namuth (Wikipedia)

Marguerite Wildenhaine, ca. 1962, Wikipedia page.

Rocking Pot, 1956 Peter Voulkos (Smithsonian ART Museum)

Peter Voulkos working, ca. 1960.

Tony Prieto Tall Vase, Stoneware, 1950. The Everson Museum of Art. Photo credit Stephanie Rozene.

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Peter Voulkos - The Man Who Broke the Rules
• 00:00:58 Stephanie's Personal Encounter with Voulkos at Alfred University
• 00:05:07 The Two Sides of Peter Voulkos: Machismo and the Dance
• 00:07:47 Early Life: Montana, Greek Immigrant Roots, and World War II
• 00:10:37 Finding Clay: Frances Senska and Montana State College
• 00:14:54 The Foundations of Mastery: Learning Traditional Pottery Skills
• 00:17:31 Early Success and the Archie Bray Foundation
• 00:21:09 The 1952 Leach and Hamada Tour: International Influences
• 00:22:09 Black Mountain College and M.C. Richards: Opening New Doors
• 00:32:33 New York City 1953: Abstract Expressionism and Transformation
• 00:39:47 Breaking with Tradition: The Rocking Pot and Radical Experimentation
• 00:44:59 Setting the Stage: Otis College and What's to Come

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Dennis Caouki
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

The story of Greek ceramics continues with a revolution in pottery. Around 530 BC, Athenian potters began turning the familiar world of black-figure decoration on its head, creating the extraordinary red-figure vessels that would come to define Classical Greek ceramics.

Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh explore the potters, workshops and innovations behind this transformation, and discover how ceramics became part of everyday Greek life – from wine-drinking symposia to sporting prizes and simple household wares. As Greek influence spreads across the Mediterranean, so too do its ceramic traditions, before a new power emerges: Rome. Yet conquest would not bring the story to an end. The Romans absorbed and reinvented Greek forms, ensuring their influence would survive for centuries.

Please switch to video in your podcasting app, to see the pots being spoken about in this episode.

Featured Artworks:

Black Figure Amphore, Attributed to Group E (British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Red Figure amphora, signed by Andokides, c.530 BCE

Terracotta amphora (jar)

Red Figure bell krater, Anonymous, often referred to as by the Berlin Painter, Greek, c.480 BCE, Louvre Museum.

Anonymous, possibly Apulian, possibly Boeotian, 480 BCE

Francois Vase, Black Figure krater, decorated by Kleitias, made by Ergotimos, Greek, 570-560 BCE, Archaeological Museum, Florence. (CC 3.0)

Terracotta kyathos (cup-shaped ladle), Attributed to the Group of Berlin 2095, c. 530–500 BCE

Terracotta amphora (jar), Attributed to the Orvieto Painter, c. 540 BCE

Small terracotta amphora (jar), Greek, Attic, c. 800–750 BCE

Terracotta neck-amphora (storage jar), Greek, Corinthian, c. 620–590 BCE

Terracotta neck-amphora (jar), Attributed to the Edinburgh Painter, c. 500 BCE

Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with lid and knob (27.16), Attributed to Exekias, c. 540 BCE

Terracotta lekythos (oil flask), Attributed to the Amasis Painter, c. 550–530 BCE

Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water), Attributed to Lydos, c. 550 BCE

Terracotta Nolan neck-amphora (jar), Attributed to the Ethiop Painter, c. 450 BCE

Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles, Attributed to the Lykaon Painter, c. 440 BCE 

Terracotta amphora (jar), Attributed to the Berlin Painter, c. 490 BCE

Terracotta skyphos (deep drinking cup), Greek, Attic mid-5th century BCE

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Ancient Greeks - From Red Figure to the Rise of Rome
• 00:01:29 Recap: From Geometric to Black Figure Pottery
• 00:02:49 The Potters: Immigrant Makers and Family Workshops
• 00:04:52 The Red Figure Revolution: A Technical Breakthrough
• 00:06:45 Andokides and Bilingual Pottery
• 00:09:18 Pattern Bands and Workshop Signatures
• 00:11:33 Sophistication and Space: The Classical Aesthetic
• 00:14:13 The Berlin Painter: Minimalist Mastery
• 00:16:37 Shapes and Function: The Symposium Culture
• 00:18:54 Slavery, Democracy, and Greek Society
• 00:22:06 The Value Question: Cheap Plastic or Precious Art?
• 00:25:43 Production and Economics: From Souvenir Cups to Masterworks
• 00:28:01 Greeks Had No Word for Art
• 00:29:14 Legacy and Permanence: Objects That Tell Stories
• 00:31:40 The Hellenistic Expansion: Red Figure Goes Global
• 00:33:36 The Roman Conquest: 146 BC and the End of Greek Independence
• 00:37:20 Ceramic Memory: How Clay Survives Empire

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Emerging from the turmoil of the Bronze Age collapse, ancient Greece would become one of the most influential cultures in history – and ceramics were at the heart of its story.

Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh trace the extraordinary rise of Greek pottery, from the bold patterns of the Geometric period to the great workshops of Athens and Corinth and the exquisite black-figure vessels of the Golden Age. Against a backdrop of warring city-states, expanding trade and the looming threat of the Persian Empire, they discover how these pots became vessels for myth, storytelling and everyday life – and an extraordinary record of a civilisation taking shape.

To view the ceramics being discussed in this episode, please switch to video in your podcasting app.

Featured Artworks:

Images featured in this episode:Terracotta volute-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water), Etruscan, c. 340–300 BCE

Terracotta hydria (water jar), Greek, Euboean, mid-6th century BCE

Terracotta lekythos (oil flask), Attributed to the Painter of Athens 1943, c. 450–440 BCE

Map of Peloponnesian War 431 BC

Map of Athens

Proto-geometric pottery, c. 950-800, made at Kerameikos
© The Trustees of the British Museum.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Plan of Kerameikos, Athens
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
(CC 4.0)

Kerameikos Photo, Athens
Courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh

Terracotta amphora (jar), Signed by Andokides, Attributed to the Andokides Painter, Attributed to the Lysippides Painter, c. 530 BCE

Terracotta neck-amphora, Greek, Attic, c. 710 BCE

Dipylon Amphora, 760-750 BCE, National Archaeological Museum of Greece, Athens , Courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh

Dipylon krater, Attributed to the Trachones Workshop, c. 725 BCE

Hellenistic Amphorae

Marble funerary stele, c. 4th century BCE,
National Archaeological Museum of Greece, Athens
Courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh

Terracotta oinochoe (wine jug), Attributed to the Chigi Group, c. 625 BC
Vase, first half of 6th century BC (made)

Black Figure amphora, Exekias, Greek, c.530-525 BCE, Vatican Museum.

Terracotta lekythos (oil flask) (2), Attributed to the Amasis Painter, c. 550–530 BCE

Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) (2) with lid and knob (27.16), Attributed to Exekias, c. 540 BCE

Signature Exekias Louvre

Death of Penthesileia, by Exekias, c. 550-543 BC, CC 4.0

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Ancient Greeks - Pots, Power and the Birth of a Civilisation
• 00:00:59 Historical Baggage: Reinventing the Greeks
• 00:04:35 The Greek Polis: City-States and Cosmopolitan Culture
• 00:07:06 The Bronze Age Collapse: Sea Peoples and Dark Ages
• 00:10:18 Geometric Pottery: The Ceramic Renaissance
• 00:23:02 Corinthian Innovation: New Visual Languages
• 00:26:31 The Persian Threat: Marathon and Military Culture
• 00:33:22 Black Figure Revolution: Exekias and Master Potters
• 00:43:15 Terra Sigillata: The Technology Behind the Beauty
• 00:46:20 Rebuilding Athens: Setting the Stage for Red Figure

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond

Sound Mix and Engineering: Joe Little
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Nearly 4,000 years ago, the Minoans flourished on the island of Crete, trading across the Mediterranean and creating some of the most extraordinary ceramics of the Bronze Age.

Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh explore a world where myth and archaeology collide – from King Minos, the Minotaur and the labyrinth to the discovery of Knossos. Through monumental storage vessels, exquisite Kamares wares and spectacular octopus jars, they uncover the creativity, power and mysterious decline of one of the ancient world’s great civilisations.

If you would like to see the images from this podcast, please switch to video in your podcasting app.

Images in this programme:

Image off map of Crete, Greece and Turkey 
Terracotta vase in the form of a bull's head ca 1450 – 1400 BCE, The Met Collection
Heinrich Schliemann  (1822–1890) 
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ 
Sir Arthur Evans 1851- 1941 at Knossos
Photograph of Knossos, courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh
Reconstruction of Knossos 
Bull-Leaping Fresco found at Knossos ,1450 BC, 
Linear A inscription on a clay tablet from Hagia Triada, Crete, ca 2100 – 1450 BC 
Linear B Tablet from Knossos, ca 1375 – 1350 BC 
Procession fresco from Knossos; reconstructed by Émile Gilliéron from the late Minoan period, CC 4.0
Minoan pithos Storage jars at the Palace of Knossos, ca  1700 BCE
Large scale Caskets “bath tubs” and storage units, c.1750 BCE
Terracotta beak-spouted jar, Vasiliki ware, 2600-2200 BCE, The Met Collection
Terracotta bridge spouted jar, Minoan ware, 1900-1600 BCE, The Met Collection
Kamares Ware Jug, Protopalatial period (2100-1700 BCE). Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete, courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh
Kamares Ware Jug, Heraklion Museum, by Wolfgang Sauber, CC
Kamares wares in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion ca 1900 - 1700 BCE photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC 1.0 license
Kamares wares jugs, Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, 1900-1700 BCE, CC 3.0
Octopus Flask ca 1500 – 1450 BCE,  Furman University,  3.0
Mycenaean-Minoan Ware, c. 1450, courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh
Terracotta jar with three handles ca 1525 – 1490 BCE,The MetCollection 
Terracotta stirrup jam with Octopus Helladic, Mycenaean, c.1200-1100 BCE, The Met Collection  

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Minoans - Europe's First Great Civilization
• 00:00:54 Placing the Minoans in Greek History
• 00:02:37 Island Power: Geography and the Rise of Crete
• 00:04:56 The Legend of the Minotaur and King Minos
• 00:09:15 Heinrich Schliemann: Chasing Homer's Myths
• 00:11:35 Sir Arthur Evans and the Discovery of Knossos
• 00:13:32 The Palace at Knossos: Architecture and Bull Imagery
• 00:17:48 Linear A and Linear B: Decoding Ancient Languages
• 00:20:40 Giant Pithoi: Monumental Storage Vessels
• 00:24:23 Early Minoan: Vasiliki Ware and Beak-Spouted Jars
• 00:28:15 Middle Minoan: The Glorious Kamares Ware
• 00:33:47 Late Minoan: Marine Style and Octopus Jars
• 00:36:47 The Mycenaean Question: Trade or Invasion
• 00:40:51 The Bronze Age Collapse of 1177 BC
• 00:43:45 Legacy: The First Europeans Remembered in Clay

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

How did Bernard Leach’s ideas travel from a small pottery in St Ives to influence generations of potters around the world?

In the final episode of our three-part series, we follow Leach as his influence spreads beyond Britain. We explore his relationship with American potters Warren and Alix MacKenzie, his travels across the United States, and his celebrated 1952 tour with Shōji Hamada and Sōetsu Yanagi.

From Black Mountain College to the emerging American studio pottery movement, we meet artists including Marguerite Wildenhain, Karen Karnes and Peter Voulkos, and discover how a new generation embraced, challenged and transformed Leach’s ideas.

This is the story of how Bernard Leach became an international figure — and how his philosophy helped reshape studio pottery for generations to come.

If you would like to see the images featured in this podcast, please switch to video in your podcasting app.

Artworks and images in this episode:
Bernard Leach, David Leach, and students at the Leach Pottery, St. Ives, Cornwall c.1945
A Potter’s Book, by Bernard Leach, 1940
David Leach, 1911-2005
Standard Ware Bowls, Bernard Leach
Pottery Dinnerware, The LeachPottery, St. Ives
Michael Cardew, William Marshall, Bernard Leach, Picnicking at Cardew’s Pottery in 1970, Courtesy of Jeff Oestrich
Bernard Leach at Alfred University, 1950,
Warren & Alix MacKenzie, 1953,
Bowl, Warren MacKenzie, c. 1969-1970
Ceramics, Warren MacKenzie, 1924-2018
Hamada, Leach, Yanagi and Wildenhain at Black Mountain College, 1952
Sōetsu Yanagi, Bernard Leach and Shōji Hamada, 1952
Black Mountain College Seminar, 1952
Vases, Margaurite Wildenhain, c. 1940’s-50’s
Bottle Vase, Margurite Wildenhain, 1970
Vase, Bernard Leach, c. 1959
Shōji Hamada, c.1970
Sōetsu Yanagi, Bernard Leach, Rudy Autio, Peter Voulkos, Shōji Hamada, 1959
Covered Jar, Peter Voulkos, c.1954
Peter Voulkos kicking the potters wheel, 1952
Cup and Signed Box, Shōji Hamada
Robert Rauschenberg at Black Mountain College, c.1952
Bernard Leach, c.1920’s

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Bernard Leach's Later Life and International Impact
• 00:01:00 David Leach and the Standard Wares: Professionalizing the Pottery
• 00:03:09 The Apprentice Model: Learning Philosophy and Craft
• 00:05:26 Warren McKenzie: The First American Apprentice
• 00:10:29 Leach's First American Tour: Land of Money, Speed and Gadgetry
• 00:13:11 The Three Musketeers: Leach, Hamada and Yanagi Tour America
• 00:17:05 Black Mountain College: Clash of Philosophies
• 00:22:59 Hamada's Magic: Improvisation and Visual Language
• 00:25:38 Archie Bray Foundation: Meeting the Young Peter Voulkos
• 00:33:10 Legacy: Bernard Leach as Big as Wedgwood

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

How did Bernard Leach turn a small pottery in St Ives into the centre of a new ceramics movement?

In the second episode of our three-part series, we follow Leach as he returns to Britain with Shōji Hamada and establishes the Leach Pottery in St Ives. We explore the challenges of those early years, the development of his distinctive approach to making, and the ideas that would eventually be captured in his influential A Potter’s Book.

As Leach’s reputation grows, so does his influence. Through teaching, writing and a new generation of apprentices, his pottery becomes a meeting place for ideas drawn from East and West.

This is the story of how Bernard Leach helped transform the status of the studio potter — and began building a movement that would reach far beyond St Ives.

To see images of the pots being discussed on this podcast, please switch to video in your podcasting apps.

Featured Artworks:

Bernard Leach 1913 early Raku Vase,   The V&A Collection

Photo of Bernard Leach with Shōji Hamada and Sōetsu Yanagi, 1952

St. Ives Harbour and Porthminster Beach - Cornwall – UK

Cornwall - St. Ives, Back Lane - 1920's Photochrom Postcard

The Leach Pottery, St. Ives, Cornwall

Blueprint of “The Leach Pottery Japanese Style of climbing Kiln. Design by Tsurunosuke Matsubayashi”, 1923. Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts

Grade II Listed Climbing Kiln, Leach Pottery

Raku Firing Kiln

Bowl, early 20’s, Bernard Leach

Barbara Hepworth & Bernard Leach, 1968, St Ives Museum

1934 (relief), Ben Nicholson, 1934, Tate

Shōji Hamada, 1894-1978

Tsurunosuke Matsubayashi, 1894-1932

D W & L K Elmhirst,' 1893-1970, Dartington Hall Trust Archive

Two Bowls by Bernard Leach and Teabowl By Shoji Hamada

Herbert Read by Mark Gerson, 1967, The National Gallery

A Potters Book by Bernard Leach, 1940

Salmon Vase, Bernard leach, 1950

Slipware Plate, Bernard Leach, c. early 1930’s

Early Slipware dish, Bernard Leach, c. early 1930’s

Early Jar with Firing crack, Bernard Leach, c. early 1930’s, courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh

Charger, 1929, Bernard Leach, courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh

The Mermaid dish, 1670-1689, Thomas Toft, The V&A Collection

A Dartington Pottery Salt Glazed Stoneware Flagon

Photo of David Leach, 1911-2005

Teapot, David Leach and Charger, Bernard Leach, courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh

Vase, c. 1959, Bernard Leach, The V&A Collection, courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh

Standard Ware, c. 1941, Bernard Leach, The V&A Collection, courtesy of Paul Greenhalgh

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Bernard Leach Returns to England
• 00:01:30 St. Ives: A Haven for Artists and Traditional Craft
• 00:07:48 Building the Pottery: Early Struggles and Failures
• 00:14:06 Hamada's Departure and the Kiln Rebuilt
• 00:15:02 The Elmhursts and Dartington: Patronage and Philosophy
• 00:17:36 Pottery as Art: Breaking Down the Barriers
• 00:22:25 The Leach Aesthetic: Japanese Meets English Slipware
• 00:30:44 A Potter's Book: The Ceramic Bible Published
• 00:35:44 David Leach Takes Over: Professionalization and Production
• 00:36:58 Legacy: The Apprentice Model and Global Influence

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

How did an English artist in Japan become one of the most influential figures in modern ceramics?

In the first of our three-part series on Bernard Leach, we explore the extraordinary early years that shaped his life and work. From his return to Japan and his first encounters with pottery to his friendship with Shōji Hamada, we discover how Japanese culture transformed Leach's understanding of what a pot could be.

This is the story of the meeting of East and West — and how the ideas Leach discovered in Japan would eventually help change the course of modern ceramics.

To see images of the ceramics being discussed in this podcast, please switch to video in your podcasting app.

Featured Artwork:

Bernard Leach and bookcase, Tokyo, 1917-1919 

Bernard Leach, A Potters Book, 1940

Bernard Leach with grandparents in Japan, c. 1890

Frank Brangwyn, by Reinhold Thiele, c 1900

John Ruskin, by W. & D. Downey, 1863

William Morris by Frederick Hollyer, 1887

Leaping Salmon Vase, c.1950, Bernard Leach; Okinawa Style Teabowl, c.1970, Shōji Hamada, Oxford Ceramics Gallery

Harmony in Blue and Gold, The Peacock Room, by James McNeill Whistler, 1834-1903, Public Domain

Temple of Heaven, Peking, 1916, printed signature in the plate Bernard Leach 1916,  Public Domain

Photograph of rural Japan, C.1900, Public Domain

Early Raku Vase, Bernard Leach, c.1925

Raku Firing Kiln

Portrait of Ogata Kenzan VI, by Bernard Leach, 1924

Mokko-shaped Food Bowl, by Uruno Shigekichi, 1881-1923

Cup, Ogata Kenzan, 18th Century

Photo of Shõji Hamada, 1894-1978

Photo of Sõetsu Yanagi, 1889-1961

Photo of Bernard Leach with Shõji Hamada & Sõetsu Yanagi, Dartington 1952

Cup and Signed Box, Shõji Hamada

Large Dish, Shõji Hamada

Stoneware Bottle, Shoji Hamada

Hamada’s Kiln in Moshiko, Creative Commons License, CC3.0

Unknown Craftsman, Sõetsu Yanagi , 1972

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Bernard Leach - The Making of a Master
• 00:03:57 Early Life: Colonial Beginnings and Artistic Awakening
• 00:12:01 The Arts and Crafts Movement: Ruskin, Morris, and Moral Philosophy
• 00:15:15 Japan's Meiji Period: Transformation and Cultural Identity
• 00:18:10 Return to Japan: Teaching Etching and Finding Community
• 00:23:52 The Raku Party: A Life-Changing Moment
• 00:27:05 Training with Kenzan VI: Entering the Japanese Pottery Tradition
• 00:28:57 Hamada and Yanagi: The Birth of Mingei
• 00:30:57 Philosophical Foundations: Arts of the People
• 00:33:30 The Bold Decision: Sailing for St. Ives

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

In 16th century Japan, a bowl of tea could get you killed. This episode traces the birth of the Ancient Japanese tea ceremony and the aesthetic of wabi-sabi, or the art of finding beauty in imperfection. Paul and Stephanie tell the story of tea master Sen no Rikyu, whose humble, handmade Raku bowls stood in defiance of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi's golden excess, in a tale of philosophy, political power, and two tea masters who paid for their art with their lives.

To see the pots Stephanie and Paul are discussing in this episode, be sure to switch to video in your podcast app.

Featured Artworks
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, by Kanō Mitsunobu, 1598, Public Domain

Sen No Rikyū, by Tōhaku Hasegawa,1595, Public Domain
 
Sen no Rikyū's Tai-an Teahouse, Kyoto, Japan, 1952
 
Black Raku ware tea bowl, late 16th century, The Smithsonian, CC0

Black Raku Tea Bowl, Named “Kaedegure” (Twilight by the Maples), attributed to Raku Cojiro, late 16th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain

Furuta Oribe,  c. 17th Century

Square Serving Dish with Bail Handle,  late 16th century, Asia Society Museum, Public Domain

Sake Bottle (Tokkuri) with Decoration of Three-Leaf Arrowhead, Early 17th century, Public Domain 

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond

Sound Mix and Engineering: Joseph Little
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Secrets of The Japanese Tea Ceremony
• 00:01:41 Origins of Tea in Japan: From Monasteries to Cultural Power
• 00:03:00 The Political Tea Ceremony: Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Vision
• 00:05:09 Wabi Sabi: The Perfection of Imperfection
• 00:09:23 Sen no Rikyu: The Master Who Stripped Away Ego
• 00:11:17 The Tea Ceremony Experience
• 00:14:45 Chojiro and Raku Ware: Hand-Built Tea Bowls
• 00:19:47 The Death of Sen no Rikyu: When Simplicity Threatened Power
• 00:24:03 Furuta Oribe: A Warrior's Energy Transforms the Ceremony
• 00:26:17 Oribe Ware: Chaos, Asymmetry, and the Happy Accident
• 00:32:35 The Second Suicide: Oribe's Violent End
• 00:35:23 Legacy: Wabi Sabi and the Birth of Studio Ceramics

Bernard Palissy was an artist, scientist, inventor and one of the most extraordinary figures in the history of ceramics. Driven by religious faith, a fascination with nature, and an obsession to discover the secret of white enamel, he devoted years to relentless experimentation, sacrificing his fortune, and burning almost everything he owned in pursuit of perfection. In this episode Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene uncover the remarkable life of the French Renaissance potter whose distinctive rustic wares transformed European ceramics. 

Featured Artworks:

Self Portrait in Faience, Bernard Palissy, 1862 
Rustique figuline, attributed to Bernard Palissy, French c.1560, J. Paul Getty Museum.
‘Rustique Figuline’ Dish with a white background, Bernard Palissy, c. 1550, National Ceramic Museum
Maiolica Plate, Italian, ca. 1500, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Bowl, Majolica, Italian, 1480-1500, The V&A Collection
Dish, Bernard Palissy, 17th century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Plaque depicting Bernard Palissy, Multiple Artists and Makers, 1846, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Pilgrim Flask, Bernard Palissy, 1556-67, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Still-life platter, Bernard Palissy, c. 1550,
Dish, Bernard Palissy, c. 1580, 
Moule, Fragment, 16th century, Musee du Louvre
Grenouille de fontaine, Atelier de Bernard Palissy, 1565-1610, Musee du Louvre
Château de la Bâstie d'Urfé, France, 1550
Henry II, King of France, François Clouet, 1559
Catherine de' Medici, François Clouet, c. 1560
Fontaine en forme de dauphin, 1600-1650, Musee du Louvre
Ewer, Saint Porchaire Ware, c. 1550, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Mould of Palissy Basin, Musee du Louvre
Tazza with cover, Mid 16th century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
La Nourrice, Guillaume Dupré (unconfirmed), c. 1640, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Plate, Manner of Bernard Palissy, Late 19th century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Platter, Follower of Bernard Palissy, Last Quarter 16th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Platter, Manner of Bernard Palissy, 2nd half of 19th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Round Plate with Lobster, Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, 1889, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Turkey, Bordallo Pinheiro Factory,19th Century
Artichoke Jar, Bordallo Pinheiro Factory
Cabbage Ware, Bordallo Pinheiro Factory
Round Dish with Lobster and Shells, Thomas Victor-Sergent, 1870-80, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Large Basin with Snake, Ferns, and Bark, Charles-Jean Avisseau, C. 1850-55, The Met Collection, Public Domain

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Sam Bond

Sound Mix and Engineering: Joe Little
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Bernard Palissy - Obsession, Faith and Myth
• 00:02:13 A Troubled Age: France in Religious Turmoil
• 00:04:24 Early Life: The Self-Taught Rustique
• 00:12:08 The Catalytic Moment: Falling in Love with a Cup
• 00:17:07 Obsession and Sacrifice: Burning the Floorboards
• 00:20:03 The Rustiques Figulines: Nature Cast in Clay
• 00:24:18 Royal Patronage: Catherine de Medici and the Court
• 00:26:16 The Saint-Porchaire Mystery: A Lost Attribution
• 00:29:20 Public Intellectual: Lecturer on Science and Nature
• 00:30:54 Dangerous Faith: The Huguenot Who Wouldn't Hide
• 00:32:41 The Bastille: A Tragic End
• 00:33:22 Legacy: From Sons to Revival
• 00:34:33 Attribution Challenges: Real, School, or Revival?
• 00:39:37 Eternal Inspiration: Palissy's Enduring Impact

This week Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene explore the extraordinary ceramics of the Ming Dynasty, the period that established China as the world's greatest producer of porcelain.

From the famous blue-and-white wares of Jingdezhen to magnificent imperial commissions and the global trade that carried Chinese porcelain across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, we uncover how Ming potters achieved levels of craftsmanship that have rarely been surpassed. We also discover how these exquisite objects became symbols of wealth, power, and cultural exchange, inspiring generations of potters around the world.

Emperor Hongwu (21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398) – Public Domain
Monks Cape Ewer, 1368-1644, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Bowl with Chrysanthemums, late 14th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Porcelain Plate with Animals, mid 14th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Jar with Dragon, 1426-1435, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Bowl with Pomegranates, lotus scrolls, and chrysanthemum Petals, early 15th century, Public Domain
Flask with Medallion, early 15th century, The Met Collection, Public Domain

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Jim Fuller & Sam Bond

Sound Engineer and Mixer: Joe Little
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Ming Dynasty - When Porcelain Became Power
• 00:02:36 The Rise of Emperor Hongwu: From Peasant to Power
• 00:14:19 Technical Mastery: Copper Reds and Chrysanthemum Bowls
• 00:16:38 Infrastructure and Imperial Ambition: Building the Ming Empire
• 00:23:00 Emperor Yongle and the Golden Age of Blue and White
• 00:21:06 The Dragon Jar: Symbolism, Status, and Visual Mastery
• 00:28:11 Islamic Influences: Cross-Cultural Design and Pattern
• 00:33:13 The Great Voyages: Porcelain as White Gold
• 00:36:47 The Inward Turn: Crisis, Capture, and Conservative Retreat
• 00:41:54 Legacy: Jingdezhen and the Story Written in Glaze

This week Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene explore the remarkable ceramics of the Tang Dynasty, one of China's greatest periods of artistic innovation. We venture down into the depths of their magnificent tombs and discover the wonders of their funerary wares. Ceramics creations that capture life in the Imperial Court from dancers, polo players, concubines, warriors and magnificent horses. These treasures open a window into a golden period of Chinese history but also show how the Tang potters transformed the art of clay and influenced ceramic traditions around the world.

FEATURED ARTWORKS IN THIS EPISODE:

Emperor Li Yuan, 618-626, unknown, Public Domain
Excerpt from the handscroll Viewing the Pass List, c. 1540 by Qiu Ying
Tang Court Playing Polo, 706AD, Public Domain
Cosmetics Box, 8th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Figure of a Horse, 700-750, The British Museum, Public Domain
Amphora, Late 7th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Covered Jar, 8thcentury, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Set of Ten Entertainers and Two Dancers, 618-907, Miho Museum, Public Domain
Camel and Rider, 701-750, Art Institute of Chicago, Public Domain
Horse and Rider, early 8th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Camel with Musicians, 723, National Museum of China, Public Domain
Horse with Lead Glaze, 728, The British Museum, Public Domain
Seated Court Lady, 8th Century, the Met Collection, Public Domain
Female Attendant, Mid 7th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Female Attendant, 7th-8th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Seated girl holding Mirror, first half 8th Century, Art Institute Chicago, Public Domain
Polo Player, ca. 618-907, Public Domain
Young Female Polo Player,  early 8th Century, Musée Guimet
Female Polo Player, c. 750, Musée Guimet

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Jim Fuller & Sam Bond
Sound Engineer: Joe Little Executive
Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Tang Dynasty - A Golden Age of Chinese Ceramics
• 00:00:35 Context: From Terracotta Warriors to Tang Dynasty
• 00:01:33 The Tang Renaissance: Arts, Innovation, and the Birth of Porcelain
• 00:07:27 Emperor Li Yuan and the Reunification of China
• 00:09:40 Cosmopolitan Influences: Turkish Origins and Foreign Ideas
• 00:10:27 The Qianling Mausoleum: Royal Graves and Funerary Traditions
• 00:16:37 Craft and Technique: How the Figurines Were Made
• 00:18:58 Sancai Glaze: The Three-Colour Ceramic Revolution
• 00:22:10 Masterworks: The Covered Jar and Ewer
• 00:24:00 Ten Musicians and Two Dancers: Capturing Movement in Clay
• 00:25:44 Colour Theory and Cultural Openness in Tang Art
• 00:26:47 The Silk Road and Sea Trade: Expanding Horizons
• 00:28:02 Camels and Foreigners: Depicting a Cosmopolitan World
• 00:29:07 What Makes a Tang Dynasty Piece? Poise, Pride, and Individuality
• 00:30:36 The Camel with Five Musicians: A Traveling Band
• 00:33:10 Heavenly Horses: The Prized Steeds of the Tang Dynasty
• 00:37:17 Court Life and Leisure: Snapshots of Tang Society
• 00:39:43 Women Playing Polo: Sport, Warfare Training, and Social Inclusion
• 00:40:55 Equality and Sophistication: Women in Tang Society
• 00:42:11 Conclusion: Windows into the Tang World

This week we continue the story by following the extraordinary journey of Hans Coper, a man who arrived in Britain as a refugee with no experience of pottery, yet went on to become one of the greatest ceramic artists of the modern age.

Forced to flee Nazi Germany as a teenager, Hans Coper rebuilt his life from scratch in wartime Britain. When he began working in Lucie Rie's studio, he discovered not only a new craft but an entirely new way of expressing himself. Although Rie taught him the fundamentals of working with clay, Coper soon developed a powerful artistic language all his own creating bold, sculptural vessels that blurred the boundaries between pottery and sculpture.

In this episode, we explore Coper's remarkable transformation from refugee to internationally celebrated artist, the creative partnership and lifelong friendship he shared with Lucie Rie, and the innovations that changed the direction of modern ceramics forever.

More than a story about beautiful objects, this is a story of resilience, identity, and the extraordinary power of art to reshape a life.

Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the life and work of Hans Coper and discover how a man who began with no training in ceramics became one of the defining voices of twentieth-century studio pottery.

IMAGES FOR HANS COPER EPISODE:

Lucie Rie, Bronzed bowls from the 1980s
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

Hans Coper, A group of Cycladic forms, late-
1970s – early-1970s
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

Hans Coper, Early composite form, c.1950 and
Large jug, c.1953
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

Hans Coper, Portrait of Lucie Rie, conceived
c.1953
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

Hans Coper, Ovoid pot c.1970, Small ovoid pot,
c.1972 and Ovoid pot, c.1972
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

Monumental Altar Candlesticks, Coventry Cathedral, by Hans Coper,
Image courtesy of Julian Osley – CC BY-SA 2.0


ADDITIONAL WORKS:

Bernard Leach, Thrown Bowl, 1973
Provided by York Museum
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

Bernard Leach Studio St Ives
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Henry Moore, Three Way Piece No. 2 ( The Archer), 1964-65
On display in front of Toronto City Hall since 1966 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/sa/1.0/

Henry Moore, Large Reclining Figure 1982 (LH 192b), fibreglass. As of 2004 sited outside the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. On loan from the Henry Moore Foundation. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Brâncuși's Paris studio, 1920,  Photograph by Edward Steichen, Public Domain

Constantin Brancusi, The Kiss, 1907-08, Public Domain

PHOTOGRAPHS:

Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion
Mews, 1950s
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation
Image Courtesy of the Crafts Study Centre,
University for the Creative Arts, Farnham

Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion (B&W)
Mews, early 1950s
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, 1959-69 (in vehicle)
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

Hans Coper, Albion Mews, c.1956
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

Hans Coper, Albion Mews, c.1967
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans
Coper Foundation

‘Lucie Rie / Hans Coper: Life at the Wheel’ will be at Offer Waterman in London from 18 September - 31 October 2026.

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Fraser Watson
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Hans Coper Arrives at Lucy Rie's Door
• 00:01:49 Hans Coper's Early Life: A Comfortable Beginning in Germany
• 00:03:04 The Nazi Rise: A Childhood Shattered
• 00:06:04 Escape from Germany: Hanging from a Moving Train
• 00:09:13 Internment and the Pioneer Corps: Survival in Canada and Britain
• 00:12:53 Gone with the Wind: The Day That Changed Everything
• 00:13:33 The Button Factory: A Hive of Refugee Activity
• 00:17:39 Learning the Potter's Wheel: A Natural Talent Emerges
• 00:22:11 The Relationship: Big Sister, Younger Brother
• 00:27:48 Two Different Visions: Potter vs. Sculptor
• 00:30:29 The Aesthetic: Delicate Bowls and Textured Monuments
• 00:34:47 Teaching Philosophies: Steel Fist vs. Graceful Integrity
• 00:38:43 Architectural Commissions: From Pots to Coventry Cathedral
• 00:41:28 Legacy: Changing the Direction of British Ceramics

This week on The History of Ceramics, we begin the remarkable story of two artists who transformed the course of modern ceramics. Our journey starts with the extraordinary life of Lucie Rie.

Born into the rich cultural world of Vienna, Lucie Rie was already an accomplished ceramic artist when the rise of Nazism forced her to leave everything behind. Arriving in London as a refugee in 1938, she faced the daunting challenge of rebuilding her life and career in an unfamiliar country. Yet through determination, technical brilliance, and an unmistakable artistic vision, she would become one of the defining figures of twentieth-century ceramics.

In this episode, we explore Rie's early life in Vienna, the artistic influences that shaped her distinctive style, and the resilience that carried her through exile and war. We discover how her elegant forms and luminous glazes challenged traditional ideas about pottery, and how her tiny London studio became the birthplace of a revolution in ceramic art.

This is more than the story of a remarkable potter. It is a story of courage, reinvention, and creativity flourishing against the odds.

Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the life and work of Lucie Rie—and discover how one extraordinary artist helped redefine the possibilities of clay.

Featured Images:

Lucie Rie, Bronzed bowls from the 1980s, 

Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Hans Coper, A group of Cycladic forms, late- 1970s – early-1970s
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation 

Lucie Rie, Teapot Designed and Made for Ernst Plischke, 1928
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Lucie Rie, Early London period bowl, c.1945 

Lucie Rie & Hans Coper, Early London period cylindrical lidded pot, c.1947 

Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artists/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation 

Lucie Rie, Vase from the 'Black Firing', 1981 and Composite vase, known as the 'God Pot', c.1980
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Lucie Rie, Vase with sgraffito design, c.1982 Footed bowl, c.1978
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Lucie Rie, Pink footed bowl, c.1980
Photograph by Sylvain Deleu
© Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Bernard Leach, Thrown Bowl,, 1973
Provided by York Museum 
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

Bernard Leach Studio St Ives 
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

PHOTOGRAPHS:

Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion Mews, 1950s
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Image Courtesy of the Crafts Study Centre,
University for the Creative Arts, Farnham
Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion Mews, early 1950s
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, 1959-69 (in vehicle)
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1960 (at wheel)
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation 

Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1960 (at wheel with pot)
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1967 (in studio)
Photograph by Jane Coper
© Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation

‘Lucie Rie / Hans Coper: Life at the Wheel’ will be at Offer Waterman in London from 18 September - 31 October 2026.

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks.   

Credits:
Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Editor: Jim Fuller & Fraser Watson
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Lucy Rie and Hans Coper - Titans of Studio Ceramics
• 00:03:31 Vienna's Golden Age: The Wiener Werkstätte and Gesamtkunstwerk
• 00:10:03 Lucy's Upbringing: An Intellectual Jewish Family in Vienna
• 00:17:18 World War I and Tragedy: The Loss of Her Brother
• 00:20:53 Discovery of Clay: Finding Her Medium at the Kunstgewerbeschule
• 00:29:23 Marriage and Early Success: Building a Career in 1920s Vienna
• 00:32:40 The 1937 Paris Expo: Career Triumph and Rising Darkness
• 00:36:07 Flight from Vienna: Escaping the Nazis in 1938
• 00:38:37 Starting Over in London: Albion Mews and the Button Business
• 00:48:28 A Knock on the Door: Hans Coper Arrives

In 1974, a group of farmers digging a well in rural China made one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history: an underground army of thousands of life-sized terracotta warriors, standing silently in battle formation for more than two thousand years.

But why was this extraordinary army created? Who was the powerful ruler it was built to protect? And what does it reveal about the ambitions, beliefs, and astonishing technological achievements of ancient China?

In this episode of The History of Ceramics, we explore the story behind the Terracotta Army and the remarkable reign of Qin Shi Huang, the emperor who unified China and transformed its future. We uncover the extraordinary craftsmanship behind the figures, the vast workforce that produced them, the secrets still buried beneath the emperor's mausoleum, and the ongoing archaeological discoveries that continue to reshape our understanding of one of the world's greatest ceramic masterpieces.

From imperial power and military might to artistry, innovation, and the enduring legacy of clay, this is the story of how an army that was never meant to be seen became one of the greatest treasures of human civilisation.

Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the fascinating history behind the Terracotta Warriors—and discover why these silent guardians continue to captivate the world over two millennia after they were made.

All artworks included in this episode are courtesy of: Creative Commons license Zero, Public Domain Dedication

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Credits:

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene

Editor: Joe Little

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Greatest Ceramic Project Ever
• 00:00:52 Discovery in 1974: Farmers Uncover a Lost Army
• 00:04:55 The Secret Keeper: Zhao Kangmin and the Cultural Revolution
• 00:08:11 Qin Shi Huang: The First Emperor of China
• 00:11:16 Fear of Death and the Quest for Immortality
• 00:13:09 Building an Army for the Afterlife
• 00:15:07 The Mausoleum Complex: The Size of Manhattan
• 00:22:41 Industrial Scale Ceramic Production
• 00:29:27 Individual Faces: Eight Types, Infinite Variations
• 00:34:38 Color and Paint: The Lost Vibrancy
• 00:39:43 The Emperor's Death and the Fall of Qin
• 00:42:04 Fire and Destruction: The Tomb Under Attack
• 00:43:39 Legacy: From Fear to Forever

Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene travel to the American South at the end the 19th C to explore the life and work of George E. Ohr - otherwise known as the Mad Potter of Biloxi. Overlooked for much of his life this eccentric character worked tirelessly creating innovative, wild and exquisitely crafted art pottery. He was a renowned showman using slogans, banners and sales gimmicks to market his wares and was the self proclaimed "world's best art-potter". His life’s work remained undiscovered gathering dust in a garage for decades before an antiques dealer happened upon them in his son's auto shop. Today his legacy is firmly recognised as a founding father of the art pottery movement and there is a museum in his name, designed by Frank Gehry, in his hometown of Biloxi.

Images of artworks and photographs in this episode:

Pitcher, 1889-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y.

Vase (Blue/Twist), 1987-1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y.

Vase (Red), 1895-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y.

Vase (pink/purple/pinched), 1897-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y.

Photo of George E. Ohr – The Mad Potter of Biloxi (1857-1918)

Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – outside studio with signage

Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – studio with “Greatest Potter on Earth” signage

Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – inside studio with pots

George E. Ohr, The Mad Potter of Biloxi. Harpers Magazine, 1892-1893

Burnt Babies, 1894, George E. Ohr

Burnt Babies, 1894, George E. Ohr

Vase (Red), 1895-96, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET

Tea Pot, 1897-1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET

Pitcher (Brown/Gold/Pinched), 1896, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET

Photo of George E. Ohr (1895-1918) - workshop

Bowl (Green/Gold), 1897-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET

Bowl (Pinched Clay), 1898-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET

Vase (Black/Blue), 1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET

Vase (Red/Brown), 1890-1905, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET

Pitcher (Green), 1890-1905, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMet

Clockface and Vase (Pink), 1898, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET. (TBC)

Photo of Ohr and O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, Mississippi – architect Frank Gehry.

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Credits:

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene

Editor: Joe Little

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Mad Potter of Biloxi
• 00:04:20 Early Life and Civil War Era Biloxi
• 00:07:01 The Misfit: Education and Early Jobs
• 00:10:50 Discovery of Clay: The Duck Finds Water
• 00:12:04 Research Journey and Return to Biloxi
• 00:14:10 Building a Life: Marriage and Early Success
• 00:20:08 World's Fairs and the Great Biloxi Fire
• 00:26:26 The Golden Age: Reinvention and Masterworks
• 00:31:29 The Mad Potter Persona and World's Fair Recognition
• 00:38:51 Rejection and the End of Production
• 00:44:29 The 50-Year Wait and Miraculous Discovery
• 00:48:17 Legacy: From Forgotten to Greatest Potter on Earth

Stephanie Rozene and curator Garth Johnson pick up the story of Funk Art and look at the life and work of artist Clayton Bailey who would go on to form the breakaway movement called Nut Art. Taking ceramics into a new realm of world making, eccentricity and humour, Bailey would inhabit an alter egos, stage pranks with the press and take the museum world on an unexpected journey.

Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:

No Deposit No Return, 1961, Robert Arneson Critter Rider, 1960, Clayton Bailey

His and Hers, 1964, Robert Arneson

Clayton Bailey with Nite Pots, 1965

The Typewriter # 1 (Touch System), 1965, Robert Arneson

Clayton Bailey with Nite Pots, 1965

Clayton Bailey with Jughead Pots, 2011

Country Dog Gentlemen, 1972, Roy de Forest

Mountain on Wheels with Fox Fiddlers, 2019, Maija Peeples-Bright

Frog Oreos, 1990, David Gilhooley

Dr Gladstone (Clayton Bailey) uncovers Bigfoot skeleton in Port Costa, CA

Clayton Bailey’s World of Wonders Store Front

Clayton Bailey with Jughead Pots

Garth Johnson - Curator of Kaolithic Curiosities, 2011

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

CREDITS:

Hosts: Stephanie Rozene and guest Garth Johnson

Editor: Joe Little

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Clayton Bailey and the Nut Artists
• 00:00:52 Peter Voulkos and the Abstract Expressionist Revolution
• 00:02:32 Harvey Littleton, Clayton Bailey, and the Wisconsin Connection
• 00:04:12 The First Funk Object: Caterpillar with Flying Buttresses
• 00:10:01 The Night Pots: Sex, Function, and Subversion
• 00:08:38 Make It Ugly: Building a Ceramics Program in Whitewater
• 00:13:24 Connecting with Robert Arneson and Moving to California
• 00:17:23 The Vermilion Festival and Experimental Education
• 00:23:59 Port Costa and the Birth of Nut Art
• 00:25:47 World Building and Imagination: The Nut Art Aesthetic
• 00:28:10 Dr. Gladstone and the Science of Kaolism
• 00:31:54 The Bigfoot Discovery and Media Pranks
• 00:32:38 The Wonders of the World Museum
• 00:35:36 Performance Art and Compression Testing
• 00:37:52 Partner in Mischief: A Personal Relationship
• 00:44:06 Legacy: The Greatest Conceptual Ceramic Artist

Join Stephanie Rozene and guest Garth Johnson as they travel back to 1967 and the West Coast of the USA where an exhibition named Funk would showcase ceramics as a provocative art form. Using humour, satire, colour and form these Funk artists critiqued the world around them and changed ceramics forever.  No longer utilitarian vessels - this was art that shocked.

Artwork in this episode:

Banded White Bottle, 1958, Robert Arneson

Spouted Footed Vase, 1959, Robert Arneson

No Deposit, No Return, 1961, Robert Arneson

Jack and John Trophy, 1964, Robert Arneson

His and Her’s, 1964 ,  Robert Arneson

John with Art, 1964, Robert Arneson

Typewriter #1 (Touch System) 1965,  Robert Arneson

Self Portrait of the Artists Losing His Marbles, 1965, Robert Arneson

Alice House Wall, 1967, Robert Arnson

Assassination of a Famous Nut Artist, 1971, Robert Arneson

Portrait of George, 1981,  Robert Arneson

Other Images:

Relax in Electric Chair (Dirty Guy),” 1965, Peter Saul

Rocking Pot, 1956, Peter Voulkos,

Hole in One, 1978, Peter Voulkos,

Bottle, circa 1955. Antonio Prieto

Fur Rat, 1962,  Joan Brown

Cakes, 1963, Wayne Thiebaud


For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Editor: Fraser Watson
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:02:16 San Francisco in the 1950s
• 00:08:15 The Origins of Funk
• 00:13:30 Robert Arneson's Early Life
• 00:21:04 The Volkos Revelation
• 00:34:19 The First Funk Ceramic Object
• 00:38:53 UC Davis
• 00:46:21 The Toilets: Censorship and Validation
• 00:54:01 The Typewriter
• 01:02:48 New York Success
• 01:08:57 Legacy

How Art Nouveau transformed Parisian Architecture.  In this episode we travel to France to meet Hector Guimard the father of French Art Nouveau and the sweeping organic forms that came to define one of the most exciting eras in European culture.
We’ll be exploring how ceramic tiles became a  key element in the architecture at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and we venture underground, down into the Paris Metro where to this day tiles continue to reign supreme.

Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:

Hector Guimard, 1867–1942

Café-Restaurant Au Grand Neptune, 1888, Hector Guimard

Tassel House, Brussels, 1892—93,  Victor Horta
Photo: kat_hly.1608 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Illustrations to Salome by Oscar Wilde,  Aubrey Beardsley

The Art Nouveau Bing Pavilion, Paris Exposition, 1900, Siegfried Bing
Courtesy of V&A Museum

Castel Béranger, 1895—98, Hector Guimard
Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 1.0)

Alexandre Bigot, 1862—1927
Photo: Absecon 59 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Inside Castel Béranger, 1895—98, Hector Guimard

29 Avenue Rapp, Paris, 1899—1901
Photo: marsupilami92 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Photo: Pline / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Maison Coilliot, 1898—1900

Illustrations to Salome by Oscar Wilde, Aubrey Beardsley

Porte Dauphine Metro Station, Paris, 1900
Photo :Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Abbesses Metro Station, Paris, 1913
Hector Guimard — Andrzej O / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Porte Dauphine Metro Station, Paris, 1900

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Editor: Alessandro  Ruocco
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: Hector Guimard and French Art Nouveau
00:25 Tile as Architecture: The Third Component of Ceramics
03:57 Guimard's Early Life and Training in the Decorative Arts
08:34 The 1889 Paris World's Fair and New Technologies
10:38 Travels to London and Brussels: Discovering Art Nouveau
12:54 Defining Art Nouveau: Curvilinear Lines and Organic Forms
18:06 Art Nouveau as the First Modernism
19:48 Castel Béranger: Guimard's First Major Building
22:03 The Golden Age of Tile: Technology and Innovation
29:43 Alexandre Bigot: The Chemistry Teacher Turned Ceramic Artist
36:17 Maison Coilliot: Ceramic Architecture in Lille
43:51 The Paris Metro Commission: Art for the People
46:55 Designing the Metro Stations: Cast Iron and Subway Tile
52:38 Controversy and Politics: Art Nouveau Under Fire
55:20 The Decline of Art Nouveau and Rise of Nationalism
1:00:23 Guimard's Later Years and Legacy

How did Wedgwood combine pottery with politics? Paul Greenhalgh is joined by Sir Tristram Hunt to discuss the life and work of potter and abolitionist Josiah Wedgwood who created one of the most famous ceramic companies in British history.

Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:

Dinner Plate ‘Frog Service’, 1773, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Plate ‘Frog Service’, 1773–1774, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Portland Vase, 1790, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Vase (Creamware), 1764–68, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

The Founding of Australia. By Capt. Arthur Phillip R.N., Sydney Cove, Jan. 26th 1788

Algernon Talmage

Medallion, 1790–95, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Vase (Black Basalt), 1775–80, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Milk Jug, 1785—95, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Saucer, 1795—1810 , Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Portrait Medallion, 1775–80, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Vase, Circa 1800—10, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Dancing Hours Plaque, 1778, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons and John Flaxman

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Dancing Hours Salt Cellar, 1786—90, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons and John Flaxman

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Vase, Circa 1800—10, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Teapot and cover (Black Basalt), 1810, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Bust (Black Basalt), 1770–80, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Teapot (Caneware), 18th Century, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Edward Gibbon, 1737–94

Portland Vase, Circa 1–25 AD

Portland Vase, 1790, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

Josiah Wedgwood statue, Stoke-on-Trent, 1862–3, Edward Davis

Anti-slavery medallion, Circa 1787, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Courtesy of V&A Museum

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene

Additional Research: Catherine Ingram

Editor: Alessandro Ruocco

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Josiah Wedgwood - Turning Pottery into Politics
• 00:01:32 The London Shop and Marketing Genius
• 00:04:26 Art Meets Commerce: Wedgwood's Philosophy
• 00:06:12 Global Ambition: 80% Export Market
• 00:11:29 Countering Porcelain: Creamware vs European Tradition
• 00:13:09 Black Basalt and the Innovation of Jasperware
• 00:15:40 John Flaxman and Ceramics as High Art
• 00:20:03 The Portland Vase: Artistic Triumph and Commercial Challenge
• 00:22:03 Free Trade and Empire: A Businessman's Contradictions
• 00:24:34 Radical Patriotism: Politics and Revolution
• 00:29:24 The Abolition Badge: Pottery Against Slavery
• 00:35:37 Legacy and Decline: After Josiah's Death in 1795
• 00:40:27 The Wedgwood Brand: Surviving 200 Years of Mismanagement
• 00:43:16 Conclusion: Wedgwood's Enduring Importance to Ceramic History

How did Wedgwood create one of the most famous ceramic companies in British history?  And what fueled his obsession with science and experimentation?  Join Paul Greenhalgh is joined by Sir Tristram Hunt to discuss 18th century England and  the life and work of potter, scientist and abolitionist in part 1 of a 2 part series on Josiah Wedgwood.

Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:

Josiah Wedgwood, 1730—17

Soup Tureen with Lid (Creamware), Circa 1770—80, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Terrine With Lid and Saucer (Creamware), Circa 1800—15, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

Platter (Creamware), Circa 1780., Josiah Wedgwood & Sons

The First Day's Vase (Black Basalt), 1769, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons
Courtesy of V&A Museum

Dinner Plate ‘Frog Service’, 1773, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons
Courtesy of V&A Museum

Platter ‘Frog Service’, 1773—74, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons
Courtesy of V&A Museum

Plate ‘Frog Service’, 1773—74, Josiah Wedgwood & Sons
Courtesy of V&A Museum

"To see this and all our episodes go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks"

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Editor: Alessandro  Ruocco
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

In this episode Paul and Stephanie discuss how Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour, and Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's passion for porcelain created one of the most famous and revered names in the history of ceramics, Sèvres.

Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:

Tureen (Japanese Kakiemon style), 1725–51, Chantilly Porcelain Manufactory

Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Tureen, 1749–50, Vincennes Porcelain Manufactory

Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Madame de Pompadour, 1756, François Boucher

Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Madame de Pompadour, 1759, François Boucher

Postcard – Sèvres – National Sèvres Manufactory – Gilding Workshop

Wikimedia Commons (French Open Licence 1.0)

Dinner Plate, 1788, Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory

Tureen (Rococo Style), 1758, Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Bleu Céleste Vase, 1779, Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory

Walters Art Museum, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Circa 1890 Charles Louis Müller

Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Bleu Céleste Dinner Plates (Manchester Service), 1776–83, Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory

The Louis XVI Dinner Service, 1783—93 , Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory

"To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks"

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene

Additional Research: Catherine Ingram

Editor: Alessandro Ruocco

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Power, Porcelain and Prestige at Sèvres
• 00:02:02 The European Porcelain Race and France's Soft-Paste Experiments
• 00:07:07 The Birth of Vincennes: Defectors and Royal Patronage
• 00:09:25 Madame de Pompadour: The Power Behind Sèvres
• 00:13:30 The Move to Sèvres and Royal Ownership
• 00:14:43 Inside the Sèvres Factory: Division of Labor and Craftsmanship
• 00:24:42 The Rococo Style: Opulence and Decadence
• 00:27:38 Porcelain as Diplomatic Currency: The Bedford and Manchester Services
• 00:31:46 Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette Take the Throne
• 00:40:10 The Most Extravagant Service Ever Made
• 00:45:59 Revolution and the Fall of the Monarchy
• 00:48:44 Sèvres Survives: From Royal to National Manufactory
• 00:52:40 Napoleon and the Continuing Legacy of Sèvres

How did an alchemist discover the recipe for porcelain? And why did his discovery ultimately drive him mad? Join Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene as they pick up the story of Europe’s obsession with porcelain and the race to discover its secret formula. Stranger than fiction this is another great story in the history of ceramics.

Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:

King Augustus II the Strong, 1670–1733

Johann Friedrich Böttger, 1682–1719

Friedrich Zorn, 1711–89

King Frederick I of Prussia, 1657–1713

Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, 1651–1708

Plate, Circa 1730–35, Meissen Manufactory

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Vase with cover, 1725, Meissen Manufactory

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Vase, 1710 –13, Meissen Manufactory

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Tea caddy, 1710 –13, Meissen Manufactory

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Race for Porcelain Continues
• 00:02:21 Augustus the Strong: The Porcelain-Obsessed Ruler
• 00:06:37 Enter Johann Friedrich Böttger: The Young Alchemist
• 00:12:11 The Fateful Demonstration and Escape to Saxony
• 00:15:12 Imprisoned by Augustus: The Gold House Laboratory
• 00:19:13 Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus: The Scientific Mind
• 00:20:44 Dark Days: Failed Promises and Attempted Escape
• 00:28:41 The Turning Point: Discovery of Kaolin
• 00:31:41 The Breakthrough: Creating European Porcelain
• 00:41:46 Freedom and Legacy: Böttger's Final Years
• 00:44:51 The Ironic Twist: China's Secrets Revealed

How did Europe become obsessed with porcelain?  And who would win the race to discover the secret formula for this “white gold?”  In this episode Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene travel from Marco Polo’s China to the courts and palaces of Europe, where this mysterious material bewitched all those that encountered it.    

Artworks featured in this episode:

King Louis XIV

King William III & Queen Mary II

A late 17th-century engraving of a porcelain room in the style popularised by Mary II

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Porcelain Room, Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, Germany

Marco Polo

Unglazed Ewer (Earthenware) 9th–10th century

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Francesco de' Medici, 1541—87

Bowl with Variation of 'Baba Nakkas' Design, Circa 1500—25

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Iznik Mosque Lamp (Turkey) 1585—95

Courtesy of The Cleveland Museum of Art

Potpourri jar (France)Circa 1690—95

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Terracotta Jug, Circa 1400–1190 BC

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Maiolica Plate (Italy), Circa 1500

Courtesy of The Met Collection

Handled Vase (Spain), 17th Century

Rouen Faience Jug (France), Circa 1720 - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Pilgrim Flask (Italy), Circa 1580, Medici Porcelain Manufactory

King Augustus II the Strong, 1670–1733

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene

Additional Research: Catherine Ingram

Editor: Alessandro Ruocco

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: White Gold - The Race for Porcelain
• 00:01:00 Porcelain Fever: Europe's Obsession with China
• 00:04:12 The Magical Properties of Porcelain
• 00:06:20 Status Symbol of Monarchs: Porcelain Rooms and Collections
• 00:08:34 The Portuguese Trade Route and China's Monopoly
• 00:09:57 Marco Polo and the Mystery of Porcelain
• 00:15:02 What Porcelain Actually Is: The Science Revealed
• 00:19:04 Early European Attempts: Medici Porcelain and Soft Paste
• 00:21:36 The Failed Experiments: Grinding Shells and Burying Clay
• 00:25:58 Tin Glaze Traditions: Maiolica, Faience, and Delftware
• 00:30:02 The Race Intensifies: Setting Up for Discovery

Why were Korean potters kidnapped and held hostage by Japanese invaders?  And how did they transform the history of Japanese ceramics?  In this episode Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene explore the complicated relations between Korea and Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries, and show how ceramics became a major factor in the bitter conflict between the two of them during what has become known as the Ceramic Wars.

Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include:

Maebyeong Vase, Late 13th Century

Stoneware carving and filling with white and black slip.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Cropped) - Wikimedia Commons

Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kodai Temple - Wikimedia Commons

Toyotomi Hideyoshi on his horse - Wikimedia Commons

Wine Ewer, First half of the 13th Century

Shigaraki climbing kiln - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Water Jar, 17th Century

Noborigama, Tokoname - Wikimedia Commons

Raku Tea Bowl, Circa 1600

Ko Tamba Ware Water Jar, Mid 1500’s

Shigaraki Ware Vessel, 15th Century

Arita Ware Hexagonal Jars, Late 17th Century

Shigaraki Ware Vessel, 15th Century

Dish Depicting Lady with a Parasol, 1734—1737

Hagi Ware Tea Bowl, 19th Century - Freer Gallery of Art, Wikimedia Commons

Hagi Ware Tea Bowl, 20th Century - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

"To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the HENI Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks"

Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene

Additional Research: Catherine Ingram

Editor: Alessandro Ruocco

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Ceramic Wars
• 00:01:05 East Asia in the 16th Century: Three Powers
• 00:03:55 Korean Ceramics: The Beauty of Seladon
• 00:09:33 Japanese Ceramics Before the Wars
• 00:09:54 Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Unification of Japan
• 00:15:10 The Japanese Invasions of Korea Begin
• 00:18:31 The Enslavement of Korean Potters
• 00:20:02 Korean Potters Transform Japanese Ceramics
• 00:23:08 Arita: The Birth of Japanese Porcelain
• 00:26:59 Satsuma Ware and Korean Innovation
• 00:30:54 Hagi Ware and the Tea Ceremony
• 00:37:15 Legacy and Lasting Tensions