The Pot Book

Documenting an extraordinary range and variety of ceramics spanning more than 30,000 years, this updated edition of The Pot Book surveys mankind’s fascinating exploration of this inexhaustible vessel The history of ceramic art is ingrained in the history of mankind. Clay is one of the very first materials ‘invented’ by man. An essential part of our lives, it has been moulded, thrown, glazed, decorated and fired for over 30,000 years in order to preserve and transport food and water. And it was on the surface of these early jugs, vases, dishes, plates, beakers and amphorae that man placed some of his first decorative markings. In more recent times, clay has been used not just by artisans and potters, but also by artists, designers and architects. The Pot Book is the first publication to document the extraordinary range and variety of ceramic vessels of all periods, from a delicate bowl made by an unnamed artisan in China in the third millennium bc, or a jug made in eighteenth-century Dresden, to a plate made by Picasso in 1952, a ‘spade form’ made by Hans Coper or the vases of Grayson Perry today. Now with a generous selection of new and updated entries, each chosen to ensure a diverse spread of well-known and previously underrepresented artists, the book is sequenced in alphabetical order by the name of the artist/potter, the school, or style, creating a grand tour through the very finest examples of the art form.

Edmund de Waal OBE is an artist and writer based in London. Working primarily in ceramics, de Waal’s work has been widely exhibited at such galleries and museums as the V&A and The British Museum, London; The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam and The Frick Collection in New York. His commitment to and exploration of ceramics and the art of collecting enriches his writings on the medium, which have been published in over thirty languages. Claudia Clare is a potter-painter whose practice is deeply informed by feminism and human rights. She trained as a painter at Camberwell College of Art, followed by an apprenticeship with Winchcombe Pottery, and gained her PhD at the University of Westminster in 2007. She is known for her large, painted slipware pots, which depict the impact of both national and international events on the lives of ordinary people. In 2023, she had her first international solo exhibition at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw. Sam McGuire is a writer, editor, researcher and lecturer who has spent 15 years helping institutions and practitioners tell accessible, inclusive, and engaging stories about art and artists. She has worked with organisations including Courtauld Institute of Art, Kettle’s Yard, South London Gallery, Tate and William Morris Gallery.