Lucie Rie & Hans Coper - Clay, Courage and Reinvention - Part 1

Lucie Rie & Hans Coper - Clay, Courage and Reinvention - Part 1

This week on The History of Ceramics, we begin the remarkable story of two artists who transformed the course of modern ceramics. Our journey starts with the extraordinary life of Lucie Rie. Born into the rich cultural world of Vienna, Lucie Rie was already an accomplished ceramic artist when the rise of Nazism forced her to leave everything behind. Arriving in London as a refugee in 1938, she faced the daunting challenge of rebuilding her life and career in an unfamiliar country. Yet through determination, technical brilliance, and an unmistakable artistic vision, she would become one of the defining figures of twentieth-century ceramics. In this episode, we explore Rie's early life in Vienna, the artistic influences that shaped her distinctive style, and the resilience that carried her through exile and war. We discover how her elegant forms and luminous glazes challenged traditional ideas about pottery, and how her tiny London studio became the birthplace of a revolution in ceramic art. This is more than the story of a remarkable potter. It is a story of courage, reinvention, and creativity flourishing against the odds. Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the life and work of Lucie Rie—and discover how one extraordinary artist helped redefine the possibilities of clay. Featured Images: Lucie Rie, Bronzed bowls from the 1980s,  Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Hans Coper, A group of Cycladic forms, late- 1970s – early-1970s Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation  Lucie Rie, Teapot Designed and Made for Ernst Plischke, 1928 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Early London period bowl, c.1945  Lucie Rie & Hans Coper, Early London period cylindrical lidded pot, c.1947  Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artists/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation  Lucie Rie, Vase from the 'Black Firing', 1981 and Composite vase, known as the 'God Pot', c.1980 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Vase with sgraffito design, c.1982 Footed bowl, c.1978 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Pink footed bowl, c.1980 Photograph by Sylvain Deleu © Estate of the artist/The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Bernard Leach, Thrown Bowl,, 1973 Provided by York Museum  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0] Bernard Leach Studio St Ives  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/] PHOTOGRAPHS: Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion Mews, 1950s Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Image Courtesy of the Crafts Study Centre, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham Lucie Rie and Hans Coper in front of Albion Mews, early 1950s Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, 1959-69 (in vehicle) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1960 (at wheel) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation  Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1960 (at wheel with pot) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation Lucie Rie, Albion Mews, c.1967 (in studio) Photograph by Jane Coper © Estate of Jane Coper /The Lucie Rie and Hans Coper Foundation ‘Lucie Rie / Hans Coper: Life at the Wheel’ will be at Offer Waterman in London from 18 September - 31 October 2026.  For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks.    Credits: Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Editor: Jim Fuller & Fraser Watson Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction: Lucy Rie and Hans Coper - Titans of Studio Ceramics * 00:03:31 Vienna's Golden Age: The Wiener Werkstätte and Gesamtkunstwerk * 00:10:03 Lucy's Upbringing: An Intellectual Jewish Family in Vienna * 00:17:18 World War I and Tragedy: The Loss of Her Brother * 00:20:53 Discovery of Clay: Finding Her Medium at the Kunstgewerbeschule * 00:29:23 Marriage and Early Success: Building a Career in 1920s Vienna * 00:32:40 The 1937 Paris Expo: Career Triumph and Rising Darkness * 00:36:07 Flight from Vienna: Escaping the Nazis in 1938 * 00:38:37 Starting Over in London: Albion Mews and the Button Business * 00:48:28 A Knock on the Door: Hans Coper Arrives

The Terracotta Warriors

In 1974, a group of farmers digging a well in rural China made one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history: an underground army of thousands of life-sized terracotta warriors, standing silently in battle formation for more than two thousand years. But why was this extraordinary army created? Who was the powerful ruler it was built to protect? And what does it reveal about the ambitions, beliefs, and astonishing technological achievements of ancient China? In this episode of The History of Ceramics, we explore the story behind the Terracotta Army and the remarkable reign of Qin Shi Huang, the emperor who unified China and transformed its future. We uncover the extraordinary craftsmanship behind the figures, the vast workforce that produced them, the secrets still buried beneath the emperor's mausoleum, and the ongoing archaeological discoveries that continue to reshape our understanding of one of the world's greatest ceramic masterpieces. From imperial power and military might to artistry, innovation, and the enduring legacy of clay, this is the story of how an army that was never meant to be seen became one of the greatest treasures of human civilisation. Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover the fascinating history behind the Terracotta Warriors—and discover why these silent guardians continue to captivate the world over two millennia after they were made. All artworks included in this episode are courtesy of: Creative Commons license Zero, Public Domain Dedication For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Credits: Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Editor: Joe Little Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction: The Greatest Ceramic Project Ever * 00:00:52 Discovery in 1974: Farmers Uncover a Lost Army * 00:04:55 The Secret Keeper: Zhao Kangmin and the Cultural Revolution * 00:08:11 Qin Shi Huang: The First Emperor of China * 00:11:16 Fear of Death and the Quest for Immortality * 00:13:09 Building an Army for the Afterlife * 00:15:07 The Mausoleum Complex: The Size of Manhattan * 00:22:41 Industrial Scale Ceramic Production * 00:29:27 Individual Faces: Eight Types, Infinite Variations * 00:34:38 Color and Paint: The Lost Vibrancy * 00:39:43 The Emperor's Death and the Fall of Qin * 00:42:04 Fire and Destruction: The Tomb Under Attack * 00:43:39 Legacy: From Fear to Forever

George E. Ohr - The Mad Potter of Biloxi

Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene travel to the American South at the end the 19th C to explore the life and work of George E. Ohr - otherwise known as the Mad Potter of Biloxi. Overlooked for much of his life this eccentric character worked tirelessly creating innovative, wild and exquisitely crafted art pottery. He was a renowned showman using slogans, banners and sales gimmicks to market his wares and was the self proclaimed "world's best art-potter". His life’s work remained undiscovered gathering dust in a garage for decades before an antiques dealer happened upon them in his son's auto shop. Today his legacy is firmly recognised as a founding father of the art pottery movement and there is a museum in his name, designed by Frank Gehry, in his hometown of Biloxi. Images of artworks and photographs in this episode: Pitcher, 1889-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y. Vase (Blue/Twist), 1987-1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y. Vase (Red), 1895-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y. Vase (pink/purple/pinched), 1897-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET, N.Y. Photo of George E. Ohr – The Mad Potter of Biloxi (1857-1918) Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – outside studio with signage Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – studio with “Greatest Potter on Earth” signage Photo of George E. Ohr (1857-1918) – inside studio with pots George E. Ohr, The Mad Potter of Biloxi. Harpers Magazine, 1892-1893 Burnt Babies, 1894, George E. Ohr Burnt Babies, 1894, George E. Ohr Vase (Red), 1895-96, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Tea Pot, 1897-1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Pitcher (Brown/Gold/Pinched), 1896, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Photo of George E. Ohr (1895-1918) - workshop Bowl (Green/Gold), 1897-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Bowl (Pinched Clay), 1898-1910, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Vase (Black/Blue), 1900, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Vase (Red/Brown), 1890-1905, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET Pitcher (Green), 1890-1905, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMet Clockface and Vase (Pink), 1898, George E. Ohr. Image courtesy of TheMET. (TBC) Photo of Ohr and O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, Mississippi – architect Frank Gehry. For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Credits: Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Editor: Joe Little Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction: The Mad Potter of Biloxi * 00:04:20 Early Life and Civil War Era Biloxi * 00:07:01 The Misfit: Education and Early Jobs * 00:10:50 Discovery of Clay: The Duck Finds Water * 00:12:04 Research Journey and Return to Biloxi * 00:14:10 Building a Life: Marriage and Early Success * 00:20:08 World's Fairs and the Great Biloxi Fire * 00:26:26 The Golden Age: Reinvention and Masterworks * 00:31:29 The Mad Potter Persona and World's Fair Recognition * 00:38:51 Rejection and the End of Production * 00:44:29 The 50-Year Wait and Miraculous Discovery * 00:48:17 Legacy: From Forgotten to Greatest Potter on Earth

Funk and Nut Art with Clayton Bailey

Stephanie Rozene and curator Garth Johnson pick up the story of Funk Art and look at the life and work of artist Clayton Bailey who would go on to form the breakaway movement called Nut Art. Taking ceramics into a new realm of world making, eccentricity and humour, Bailey would inhabit an alter egos, stage pranks with the press and take the museum world on an unexpected journey. Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include: No Deposit No Return, 1961, Robert Arneson Critter Rider, 1960, Clayton Bailey His and Hers, 1964, Robert Arneson Clayton Bailey with Nite Pots, 1965 The Typewriter # 1 (Touch System), 1965, Robert Arneson Clayton Bailey with Nite Pots, 1965 Clayton Bailey with Jughead Pots, 2011 Country Dog Gentlemen, 1972, Roy de Forest Mountain on Wheels with Fox Fiddlers, 2019, Maija Peeples-Bright Frog Oreos, 1990, David Gilhooley Dr Gladstone (Clayton Bailey) uncovers Bigfoot skeleton in Port Costa, CA Clayton Bailey’s World of Wonders Store Front Clayton Bailey with Jughead Pots Garth Johnson - Curator of Kaolithic Curiosities, 2011 For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks CREDITS: Hosts: Stephanie Rozene and guest Garth Johnson Editor: Joe Little Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction: Clayton Bailey and the Nut Artists * 00:00:52 Peter Voulkos and the Abstract Expressionist Revolution * 00:02:32 Harvey Littleton, Clayton Bailey, and the Wisconsin Connection * 00:04:12 The First Funk Object: Caterpillar with Flying Buttresses * 00:10:01 The Night Pots: Sex, Function, and Subversion * 00:08:38 Make It Ugly: Building a Ceramics Program in Whitewater * 00:13:24 Connecting with Robert Arneson and Moving to California * 00:17:23 The Vermilion Festival and Experimental Education * 00:23:59 Port Costa and the Birth of Nut Art * 00:25:47 World Building and Imagination: The Nut Art Aesthetic * 00:28:10 Dr. Gladstone and the Science of Kaolism * 00:31:54 The Bigfoot Discovery and Media Pranks * 00:32:38 The Wonders of the World Museum * 00:35:36 Performance Art and Compression Testing * 00:37:52 Partner in Mischief: A Personal Relationship * 00:44:06 Legacy: The Greatest Conceptual Ceramic Artist

Robert Arneson - Funk Art

Join Stephanie Rozene and guest Garth Johnson as they travel back to 1967 and the West Coast of the USA where an exhibition named Funk would showcase ceramics as a provocative art form. Using humour, satire, colour and form these Funk artists critiqued the world around them and changed ceramics forever.  No longer utilitarian vessels - this was art that shocked. Artwork in this episode: Banded White Bottle, 1958, Robert Arneson Spouted Footed Vase, 1959, Robert Arneson No Deposit, No Return, 1961, Robert Arneson Jack and John Trophy, 1964, Robert Arneson His and Her’s, 1964 ,  Robert Arneson John with Art, 1964, Robert Arneson Typewriter #1 (Touch System) 1965,  Robert Arneson Self Portrait of the Artists Losing His Marbles, 1965, Robert Arneson Alice House Wall, 1967, Robert Arnson Assassination of a Famous Nut Artist, 1971, Robert Arneson Portrait of George, 1981,  Robert Arneson Other Images: Relax in Electric Chair (Dirty Guy),” 1965, Peter Saul Rocking Pot, 1956, Peter Voulkos, Hole in One, 1978, Peter Voulkos, Bottle, circa 1955. Antonio Prieto Fur Rat, 1962,  Joan Brown Cakes, 1963, Wayne Thiebaud For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Editor: Fraser Watson Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac CHAPTERS * 00:00:00 Introduction * 00:02:16 San Francisco in the 1950s * 00:08:15 The Origins of Funk * 00:13:30 Robert Arneson's Early Life * 00:21:04 The Volkos Revelation * 00:34:19 The First Funk Ceramic Object * 00:38:53 UC Davis * 00:46:21 The Toilets: Censorship and Validation * 00:54:01 The Typewriter * 01:02:48 New York Success * 01:08:57 Legacy