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Fong Chow

Biography to Display: 

1923 Born Tianjin, China

2012 Died

EDUCATION

1952 BFA Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, New York

1954 MFA Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, New York

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1952-1957 Chief Designer, Glidden Pottery, Inc.

1957-1982 Curator, Far Eastern Department, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York

1972 Wilbur D. Peat Visiting Specialist from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York

BIOGRAPHY

Fong Chow made both sculpture and functional ceramics in both porcelain and stoneware. His glaze-on-glaze technique used wax or paper relief. The Metropolitan Museum of Art said of Chow’s work in 1972, “Mr. Chow is a most distinguished draftsman and ceramicist in his own right...”

Chow’s primary inspiration is Chinese ceramics from the Neolithic period to the 13th century.  His pottery decoration was influenced by Chinese sculpture, calligraphy, landscape, and figure painting of all ages. Also of enormous influence were two of his teachers: Arthur Heintzelman, a printmaker, and Hyman Bloom, a painter and Harvard professor.

Chow first studied ceramics at The Museum School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston Massachusetts; during this time, he took a workshop with Bernard Leach.  As he also had studied painting, he earned pocket change painting commissioned works for prominent Bostonians. After he retired from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chow returned to working in clay in a small rented studio space in Manhattan. Most of his sculpture was created between 1983 and 1988. He went on to become a photographer.

An interview with Fong Chow recorded by the Smithsonian Archives of American Art Oral History Program can be accessed here: https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oral-history-interview-fong-chow-12375

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography to Display: 

Koplos, Janet. “Past, Present, and Future at Greenwich House Pottery.” Ceramics Monthly 58, no. 8 (October 2010).

 

 

Typical Marks

Used chop with full name between 1947-1951. Used only Chow with chop between 1950-1990. Sometimes used one or the other, or both.

1947-1951
1950-1970
1980-1990
1947-1951
1950-1990
Tripod with Bird Finials
Date: ca 1983
Form: Sculpture
Materials: Earthenware
Method: Slab-Built, Coiled (Pit-fired and smoked in sawdust and wood.)
The Forrest L. Merrill Collection, Dane Cloutier Archives
The Forrest L. Merrill Collection, Dane Cloutier Archives
Vase
Date: ca 1986
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
The Forrest L. Merrill Collection, Dane Cloutier Archives
The Forrest L. Merrill Collection, Dane Cloutier Archives
Vase
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
The Forrest L. Merrill Collection, Dane Cloutier Archives
The Forrest L. Merrill Collection, Dane Cloutier Archives
Vase
Date: 1950-1960
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
The Forrest L. Merrill Collection
The Forrest L. Merrill Collection
Cup
Materials: Stoneware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
June Sakata Collection
Photo: TMP
June Sakata Collection
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP

Citation: "The Marks Project." Last modified August 4, 2023. http://www.themarksproject.org:443/marks/chow