Bernard Leach
Bernard Leach | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | January 5, 1887 |
| Died | May 6, 1979 (aged 92) |
Bernard Leach (January 5, 1887 - May 6, 1979) was a British Bahá’í. In his professional career he was a world-famous potter, particularly famous for studying pottery-making in Japan and producing pots in a fusion of Eastern and Western styles. Before the Second World War, he worked at Dartington Hall, in Devon, England, alongside painters Reginald Turvey and Mark Tobey. In his latter years, he worked at a studio in St. Ives, Cornwall, England.
Biography[edit]
Leach was born in Hong Kong in 1887 where his father worked as a judge. His mother passed at the time he was born and he was raised by his grandparents in Japan.[1] In 1897 he moved to England where he completed his education and after graduating he worked as a clerk for the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation briefly before enrolling to study at the London School of Art.[2]
In 1909 Leach returned to Japan where he began working as an art teacher,[2] and in 1914 he was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith in Japan by pioneer Agnes Alexander.[3] He spent time living in both Japan and China, studying pottery, and in 1919 he met Japanese artist Shoji Hamada and in 1920 they moved to England and established the Leach Pottery in St. Ives together. He initially struggled to find critical and commercial success with his pottery,[2] and he supported himself by teaching pottery at Dartington Hall. He met Mark Tobey who also taught at Dartington in the early 1930's and Tobey inspired him to investigate the Faith more deeply. He declared himself a Bahá’í at some point after an extended period of study.[3]
In the 1940's Leach published the book A Potters Book which earnt him critical acclaim as an expert in the field of pottery and in 1962 he was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to art.[2] In 1953 he wrote a pamphlet titled My Religious Faith on the Faith in both English and Japanese which was widely distributed and he attended the First Bahá’í World Congress which was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1963.[3]
Leach continued producing pottery until retiring in 1972,[2] and in 1973 he was granted a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II at which he was named a Companion of Honour making him the first craftsman to be awarded the title.[4] Although he retired from pottery he continued traveling internationally. In 1977 a major exhibition of his work was shown at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.[2]
In 1979 Leach passed away and the Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after his passing:
KINDLY EXTEND LOVING SYMPATHY RELATIVES FRIENDS PASSING DISTINGUISHED VETERAN UPHOLDER FAITH BAHAULLAH BERNARD LEACH. HONOURS CONFERRED UPON HIM RECOGNITION HIS WORLDWIDE FAME CRAFTSMAN POTTER PROMOTER CONCORD EAST AND WEST ADD LUSTRE ANNALS BRITISH BAHAI HISTORY AND HIS EAGER WILLINGNESS USE HIS RENOWN FOR SERVICE FAITH EARN ETERNAL GRATITUDE FELLOW BELIEVERS. ASSURE ARDENT PRAYERS PROGRESS HIS SOUL.[4]
Publications[edit]
- 1945 - A Potter's Book[5]
- 1960 - A Potter in Japan[6]
- 1966 - Kenzan and His Tradition[7]
- 1967 - A Potter's Work[8]
- 1975 - Hamada: Potter[9]
- 1978 - Beyond East & West: Memoirs, Portraits, and Essays[10]
- 1988 - Drawings Verse & Belief[11]
References[edit]
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 669. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=3
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 670. View as PDF.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 671. View as PDF.
- ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2272841.A_Potter_s_Book
- ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20418386-a-potter-in-japan
- ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22795697-kenzan-and-his-tradition
- ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21066328-a-potter-s-work
- ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26840807-hamada
- ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19906464-beyond-east-and-west
- ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2096152.Drawings_Verse_and_Belief
