Afterword of The Yixing Effect - Echoes of the Chinese Scholar
In searching for artistic models, the majority of American ceramists explore the vast heritage of art with the understanding that artistic perfection can be found in any time period and any culture, thereby becoming a resource for one’s own artistic endeavors. The intent of Chinese scholars, as a case in point, was always to refine and elaborate upon established styles and techniques with the hope of attaining insights and achieving new interpretations. For example, in seeking to achieve a fuller expression in landscape painting, the scholars began to add poetry and their personal colophons to the work. The Yixing teapot,...