School of Art

Contact Details

School of Art
Aberystwyth University
Buarth Mawr
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 1NG

Tel: +44 (0)1970 622460

Fax: +44 (0)1970 622461

Email: artschool@aber.ac.uk

The Historic and Retrospective Collection of Ceramics and Bronzes

The historic and retrospective collection of ceramics meant visitors to the Gallery of Crafts could profitably compare old and new craft. Hence Sidney Greenslade acquired Michael Cardew and Welsh slipware; Leach, Hamada, Vyse, Wells and oriental pottery; contemporary figurative pottery and Staffordshire creamers, Pill pottery lions, blanc de chine porcelain of the Fukien Province of south-east China and Japanese Bizenware figures. A Chinese celadon koro and a Sung-dynasty vase are typical of the assorted oriental wares he also purchased for comparison with techniques adopted by the early studio potters.

Blanc de chine porcelain figures from China

Blanc de chine porcelain figures from China




From March 1924 Greenslade began purchasing small-scale cast bronzes and gilt Buddhas made in Tibet, India and Nepal; divinities of the type commonly used for domestic worship — Nandi (the bull of Shiva), Ganeshi (the elephant headed god, son of Shiva), Ushnishavijaya (a long-life deity), Vishnu, Krishna and Vishnu Bhogasthanakamurti — as well as a small number of Chinese wooden carvings and bronzes. In September 1925 he purchased in Exeter selected items from the 'Garnham Collection'. These included Chinese, Japanese and Indian bronzes and ceramics, among them a casket, incense burner and impressive dragon-handled vase in bronze.

Gilt wooden buddhas from Tibet

Gilt wooden buddhas from Tibet








 
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