Dame Lucie Rie was an Austrian-born British potter, widely acclaimed for her innovative work in studio ceramics. Renowned for her modernist approach, Rie's work is characterised by its elegant forms, thin walls, and exquisite glazes, which range from smooth and glossy to textured and matte finishes. Her pottery, often functional in nature, includes bowls, cups, vases, and buttons, each piece reflecting a sophisticated balance between form and function.
Innovating Ceramics: The Art and Craft of Glazing Mastery
Rie's style was unique, blending traditional craftsmanship with a contemporary aesthetic. She was known for her experimentation with glazes, developing a variety of techniques that resulted in distinctive and often unexpected surfaces. Her colour palette was subtle yet varied, incorporating hues such as bronze, gold, blues, greens, and pinks that complemented the simple yet sophisticated shapes of her vessels.
Born in Vienna, Lucie Rie established her first pottery studio there in the late 1920s. She fled Austria in 1938 due to the annexation by Nazi Germany and settled in London, where she would spend the rest of her career. In London, Rie's studio became a hub of creativity and innovation. Her partnership with fellow émigré potter Hans Coper, who became her assistant and later a highly respected ceramicist in his own right, was particularly fruitful. Together, they influenced the direction of British studio pottery in the post-war period.
Despite the functional nature of much of her work, Rie approached pottery as an art form. Her pieces are celebrated for their refined beauty and precision, and her work has had a lasting impact on the field of ceramics. Lucie Rie was recognised for her contributions to ceramics and the arts with numerous awards, including being made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Today, her work is highly prized by collectors and is held in major museums and private collections worldwide.