Dish with inscription by William Blake
Bernard Leach, 1917
A bird in flight decorates the centre of this very early slipware dish by the studio potter Bernard Leach.
Around the rim of the piece it illustrates a quotation from the poet William Blake, which reads: ‘All nature listens silent to him, and the awful sun stands still upon the mountain looking on this little bird.’
Leach was born in Hong Kong and spent several early childhood years in Japan. He later studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London before returning to Japan in 1909. He was introduced to ceramics there around 1911 and began to experiment with pottery techniques.
He made this dish in 1917 at his first independent studio in Abiko. The technique, decoration and words illustrate the fusion of East and West that became so central to his highly influential later work.
Leach kept this dish until his death, after which it entered the outstanding collection of British studio pottery gathered by the American connoisseur John Driscoll. It now joins the world-class holdings of work by Leach at the Crafts Study Centre, which include the pots, papers, photographs, diaries and drawings that he gifted to the centre himself.
More information
Title of artwork, date
Dish with inscription by William Blake, 1917
Date supported
2021
Medium and material
Earthenware with slip trailed decoration on raku body
Dimensions
4.4 x 20.9cm/20.2cm
Grant
5009
Total cost
12618

Get a National Art Pass and explore Crafts Study Centre
You'll see more art and your membership will help museums across the UK
Art Funded by you FAQs
Contact us
If you have a question about a work of art featured here, please contact the Programmes team. We’ll be happy to answer your enquiry.