Cardew - The Early Years

摘要

In January 1923 the Leach Pottery at St Ives was visited by Michael Cardew, then aged 22, an eager would-be potter in search of a training. Flashingly good looking, energetic, enthusiastic, he was described by Leach as a 'young Apollo'. Then reading Humanities at Exeter College, Oxford, Cardew had become enamoured by traditional country pottery after admiring the deep earth colours and shiny lead glazed earthenware made by W Fishley Holland at Braunton Pottery, north Devon. An academic career held no interest and as a student, and much to the neglect of studies, he visited the Fishley pottery, had a wheel built and paid 1 pound a week for throwing lessons.Leach and Cardew shared very similar backgrounds, as both were born of highly respectable, middle classes families involved in public service, but their routes to potting were very different. After studying art in London, leach had 'discovered' pottery in Japan at a raku party in 1911, and learnt the craft from a traditional teacher. In 1920 he returned to England to set up a pottery at St Ives where he made earthenware, raku and stoneware. While still a student, an article 'An Art Pottery in Cornwall' in Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review, describing Leach's work, caught Cardew's eye and he decided to pay a visit. Fifteen years his senior, Leach appeared to Cardew as 'a perfectly preserved example of an English Edwardian', formal in manner, favouring collar and tie, plus fours, tweed jackets and brogues rather than causal dress.