The Unknown Craftsman: A Japanese Insight into Beauty

I recently finished reading The Unknown Craftsman: A Japanese Insight into Beauty by Sõetsu Yanagi and adapted by Bernard Leach. It explores the circumstances under which beautiful objects are created, and how industrialization has influenced handmade craft.

I began taking down quotations that were interesting and worthy of sharing, but soon found myself jotting down entire paragraphs. So, rather than rewrite the book, I will merely point you towards the chapters which I found most interesting.

• The Beauty of Irregularity (page 117);
• The Buddhist Idea of Beauty (page 127);
• Hakeme (page 171);
• The Way of Craftsmanship (page 197); and
• The Responsibility of the Craftsman (page 216).

This book has been added to my list of Recommended Readings.