mould & block

Summary

Unglazed buff stoneware hollow block for baluster-shaped teapot of octagonal section, with eight vertical relief panels of fantastical creatures and naked figures. Panels comprise from left to right; coat of arms bearing three quatrefoils, surmounting stag and bird; reclining naked figure, surmounting unicorn; scene from Aesop's Fables illustrating fox and stork, surmounting figure astride a lion, above a swan; bearded head in profile, surmounting gryphon with dead bird in its mouth, above two seated figures flanking large heart; four panels repeated in same order. Eight small horizontal plain panels around narrow foot. Accompanying five-part plaster mould taken from block, comprising four walls, each of two panels, and circular base. Each section of mould designed with different pattern of circular bosses and depressions to give correct fit with other sections.

Display Label

Clay Clay is an ancient, universal material. Dug out of the ground, it is basic stuff, formed by the elements, earth, water, air and fire. Its use is one of the oldest human artforms. Clay responds to the touch of your hand, it can be pushed and pulled, squeezed and pinched. Clay has no natural form of its own, and can be shaped into almost anything. It is tactile, inviting, immediate and intimate. When soft, it is marked by the slightest touch, yet once fired, it becomes fixed and permanent. A clay pot will survive for thousands of years, bearing the thumbprint of the potter who made it. Some makers are drawn by clay's physical appeal, its sensuous and tactile qualities. For others it is simply a means to an end, an incredibly diverse and expressive medium with the potential to do almost anything.