Studio pottery

Studio pottery is the making of ceramics (typically by hand) by individual artist-potters in their own workshops. It encompasses a range of objects from tableware to one-off pottery vessels, small-scale figures to large-scale sculpture. The V&A holds an internationally important collection, with examples from the movement's early 20th-century pioneers, including Bernard Leach and Hamada Shōji, as well as significant later figures, such as Lucie Rie, Peter Voulkos, Kyllikki Salmenhaara, Hans Coper, Betty Woodman and Gwyn Hanssen Pigott.

Search “Studio pottery” in Explore the Collections

Features

Read

Studio Pottery: an introduction

The individuality of handmade objects

  1. Watch

    Fragments of a life story in clay: Dead Dad Book ceramics

    Explore the 'Dead Dad Book' ceramic series that tells the story of Windrush Generation migrant Michael Lindo
  2. Read

    Lucie Rie: a Modernist revolution in British studio ceramics

    Discover Lucie Rie – one of the most influential figures in British studio pottery
  3. Read

    Richard Batterham – an introduction

    Find out what set renowned studio potter, Richard Batterham, apart from other potters of his time
  4. View

    Richard Batterham: methods of making

    Find out more about Richard Batterham's commitment to the whole process of making

Collection highlights

Show all
  1. dish
    'The Tree of Life', by Bernard Leach, 1923, St. Ives, England, earthenware dish with slip decoration.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  2. vase
    Vase, by Hans Coper, 1958, Britain, stoneware.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  3. pitcher
    'Pillow Pitcher', by Betty Woodman, 1982, United States, earthenware pitcher with slip decoration.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  4. still life
    'Still Life, 2 bottles, goblet and beaker', by Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, 1992, Queensland, Australia, porcelain.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  5. sculpture
    'Clay container for mummified newspapers', by Nishimura Yohei, 1991, Chiba, Japan, earthenware.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  6. vase
    Bottle, by Hamada Shoji, about 1931, Mashiko, Japan, stoneware with faceted sides and off-white glaze.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  7. bottle
    Bottle, by Lucie Rie, 1967, Britain, stoneware.
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  8. sculpture
    'Pinatubo', by Peter Voulkos, 1994, United States, stoneware.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  9. vase
    'My Heroes', vase, by Grayson Perry, 1994, London, England, earthenware.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  10. form
    'Dark Trivalve', by Halima Cassell, 2008, Blackburn, Britain, stoneware.
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  11. vase
    'Flying Saucer', vase, by Kyllikki Salmenhaara, Arabia factory, 1959, Finland, stoneware.
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  12. vase
    ‘Weed Pot (will not hold water)’, stoneware,  by Ruth Duckworth, 1966, London
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  13. figure
    'Drunk Punch', by Richard Slee, 1991, Britain, earthenware.
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  14. sculpture
    'Ultramarine', by Ken Price, about 1984, United States, earthenware.
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  15. jar
    'Still Life with Books and Bird', by Felicity Aylieff, 2012, Jingdezhen, China, porcelain.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
islamic tile
person working with clay with their hands
two women sat on a long green chair looking away from camera
woman working with a pen in hand on a black mannequin head

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Header image:
Family of Rocking Bowls, porcelain, celadon and tenmoku glazes, Chris Keenan, 2007, London. Museum no. C.29-36–2008. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London