UNGLAZED POTTERY AT THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1876.
Unglazed Water-Colors.--Clay Sketches.--Japanese Clay
Figures.--Spanish Pots.--Italian Peasant
Pottery.--Egyptian.--Turkish.--Mexican.--Watcombe
Terra-cotta.--Copenhagen Pottery.
The reports of the judges have not yet appeared, so that we do not and
cannot know what their awards may be. But as so many persons who saw and
judged for themselves may never see these reports, it may therefore
serve to remind them of many things there if I put down here my own
notes of what I saw and admired.
My notes do not cover the whole ground, by any means, but I think they
touch upon the best examples of the unglazed work, of which, however,
the quantity in no degree equaled that of the glazed pottery or faience;
and, indeed, it could not, because for most of the uses of life it is
valueless. The glazed pots are of course much stronger, and, for
household uses, have almost entirely supplanted the other. Unglazed pots
and pans are still in common domestic use, but they have a glaze on the
_inside_ which renders them capable of holding liquids. Unglazed vessels
are much used along the shores of the Mediterranean for the purpose of
cooling water, the percolation and evaporation from the surface bringing
the water to a delicious coolness, which is grateful to the parched
palate; indeed, it is much more wholesome than the intense coldness
created by the use of ice. Many a dyspeptic stomach with us would
gladden if refreshed with the crisp water produced by the Spanish or
Egyptian coolers, which are now made feverish with the icy American
draughts poured into them.
In Paris are still made many small figures in unglazed clay, some of
which are full of artistic effects; they are sketches in clay, and are
valuable when they are such. A great many are made at some of the
potteries in England, which are useless as works of art, and are useful
only as cheap decorations. Some of them are well moulded, and are
pleasing. I noticed none of these at the Exhibition, though it is likely
they were represented there.
A very fine example of this sort of unglazed figure-work was to be seen
in a case in the Japanese collection sent by Kiriu Kosko Kuwaisha. It
was a much higher class of work than the Peruvian, of which an
illustration is given at page 19, and in its way could hardly be
excelled. The figure was about twelve inches high, and seemed to be an
intense embodiment of Japanese jollity; its half-shut eyes, lolling
tongue, and relaxed figure, told the story perfectly. My Japanese guide,
philosopher, and friend, did not consider it in any way a god, though it
was so like the Chinese Poutai, god of content, that one wondered. If it
indeed had been a domestic god, our keen Japanese gentleman would not
have been likely to urge that view to us, who have less regard for other
people's gods even than for our own.
Not far from the Japanese exhibit was to be seen in the Spanish
collection a pyramid of unglazed pottery, nearly or quite all of a
light-buff color. It had this value, that it was such as is in use
to-day in the houses of the common people; and that is about all we can
say for it. The whole of it has been bought for the Pennsylvania School
of Art. Why they should want a hundred pieces of this work one may well
be at a loss to know, unless it is true that to own what nobody else has
is always a pleasure.
Throughout the southern countries of Europe, in Spain, France, Italy,
Greece, Turkey, and on the southern shores of the Mediterranean, this
kind of pottery is made and used, and in some cases it has much merit in
its forms; when decorated, it often reaches a _naïve_ and fascinating
kind of art.
Some very pretty, simple, and original pieces of this sort of pottery
have been brought to us from time to time from Naples, though I have
never seen any for sale. I learn from one of the Castellanis that in
many places of Italy this sort of work is made to-day, much of it for
decorative purposes. At some of them vases and other vessels which are
distinctly traditions derived from the Greek potters of a thousand years
ago are still made; at others are made pots and vases, cups and
_bénitiers_, which have sprung out of the simple artistic feeling of the
potters themselves, and which have that flavor of genuineness which
cannot be too much encouraged. The tendency everywhere is to _copy_
something; let us, as far as we can, buy the real and disparage the
copy. A hundred pieces of this peasant pottery were sent me a few years
ago, but they were wrecked upon the "vexed Bermoöthes," and are lying at
the bottom of the sea.
A few pieces of a light-gray body in the Egyptian collection were
excellent both in form and in their many-colored decoration. These
pieces were like, but better than, most of that which comes out from
Africa through Tangier, of which we saw none in the Main Building, but
learned that there was a collection in the Tunisian Building. Many good
pieces of this barbaric pottery are in the country, though most of the
specimens are glazed. These Egyptian pots have this vast merit, that
they have come from the personal wants and the depths of the moral
consciousness of the Egyptians themselves; from potters who know no
language, no country, and no art, but their own; and therefore they are
in no way imitations of what has been done in France, or England, or
Boston.
The dark-red terra-cotta ware from Egypt was mostly in small pieces, but
was excellent in its modeling and finish; and it was satisfactory to see
that it was much bought by our people. This clay, with its polished
surface, is peculiar to Egypt; at least we see it nowhere else.
This red Egyptian ware, is much like the red Roman ware often called
Samian, which has been spoken of in a preceding chapter. Some larger
pieces have been brought by private parties from Egypt, which have much
merit in form, as well as in incised decoration.
The Turks sent a few examples of their simple pottery, some of it
unglazed, and some covered with a deep-green glaze, which were simply
what they pretended to be. Their polychrome decoration was also good,
but not so good as the Egyptian.
Mexico, too, sent a small collection of this sort of work, which
[Illustration: FIG. 54.--_Danish Pottery._]
smacked yet of the Aztec races, but too little of it to be of much use.
A few glazed pots painted in the native fashion were excellent, and were
bought up quickly, because they suggested Montezuma and his brown
people, who have been wholly consumed by the greedy whites. The belief
of Señor Alejandro Cassarin, the potter or dealer who sent from Mexico,
evidently was that this native spontaneous pottery, which doubtless is
yet to be found, in out-of-the-way places, is not a thing to be proud
of--at least, it is not to be sent to us; that what we want is a very
poor imitation of European porcelain. Nor is such a delusion his alone.
Of terra-cotta work in red and in buff there was a good show, mainly
from England and Denmark. The clay, the modeling, and the finish, were
quite perfect in many of these. The Watcombe people, in England, had
already reached perfection in the color and texture of their clay; and
the Greek vases, as well as jugs, ewers, and a variety of things--their
own designs--could not have been bettered some three years ago. They
were then satisfied to insure a simplicity which touched perfection. In
their exhibit at Philadelphia it was clear that they are no longer
satisfied with this, or that a jaded taste needs excitement. The work
sent us constantly says, "We are trying to do something new and
surprising, if nothing better than before." The principal novelty was
the combining of two colors of clay in the same pot; as, for example, a
lighter body with a darker red for the handles, mouldings, and
ornaments. Dignity and repose were thus lost, and no new pleasure was
supplied. We felt sure that this would not last. And then, when bands of
color or polychrome decoration are used on the fine red clay, they
nearly always do harm; and the inevitable tendency to overdo cannot be
restrained. Their modeled figures seemed to have neither the delicacy of
the parian nor the sketchy freedom of some of the French designers. The
color of the clay and the finish of the Watcombe terra-cotta vases are
superior to any I have ever seen.
Some years ago the Copenhagen potters made a very considerable success
in their revival of the Greek vase, both plain and painted in black,
with Greek figures of horses, warriors, women, etc. (Fig. 54). These
have had for the last ten years a large sale; and as we cannot have the
real Greek vases because of their scarcity and price, it is well to have
some examples so well copied as these are. But there is a limit to one's
capacity for copies of Greek vases, and it seems positive that we have
reached it. We hope so. Ipsen's widow sent us some of the yellow vases
and pots, most delicately and delightfully painted with the lotus and
other Egyptian designs, which for subtilty of color and precision of
touch cannot be surpassed. These we were glad to see our people buying,
and not the other.
Among much that was commonplace, there were many examples of good work
in the department of unglazed pottery. It would have been a great
satisfaction to have met with more which showed _courage_ and
_freshness_ of design. While the public are not so responsive to these
as one could wish, there is still enough to encourage potters and
designers in this direction, if they will only believe it.