Teapot with warmer by Christopher Dresser

Design Classic – Influential and important design

Teapot with warmer

Christopher Dresser, a pioneer of modern industrial design, was born in 1834. He developed a variety of every day goods for silverware manufacturers in London and Birmingham between 1865 and 1885. All of the artefacts were mass-produced and, for the most part, silver-plated. After the World Fair in 1851, Dresser’s designs and instruction at the London School of Design were essential in reforming the British decorative arts. Dresser, like Edward William Godwin, was influenced by Japanese art. The straight, slightly flared feet and angular handles, which commonly create a right angle, are typical of Dresser’s style.

Creator: Christopher Dresser
Date created: 1878
Physical Dimensions: H: 19 cm
Type: Industrial design
Rights: © Bröhan-Museum, Photo: Martin Adam, Berlin
External Link: Bröhan-Museum
Medium: Silver-plated nickel silver, wood
Artist Dates: 1834 – 1904

Dresser Influenced by Japanese Art

Christopher Dresser was particularly drawn to the simplicity, asymmetry, and organic forms of Japanese art and design. He admired the elegance and restraint of Japanese aesthetics, which contrasted with the ornate and heavily ornamented Victorian style in Europe at the time. Dresser incorporated these Japanese influences into his designs, pioneering a more minimalist and functional approach.

In his book “Japan: Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufactures,” published in 1882, Dresser praised Japanese art and craftsmanship and encouraged Western designers to embrace Japanese principles. He highlighted the beauty of Japanese ceramics, lacquerware, textiles, and woodwork and emphasized the importance of honesty in materials and the harmony between form and function.

Dresser’s interest in Japanese art extended beyond aesthetics. He also admired the Japanese approach to craftsmanship and production techniques. Dresser believed in the integration of art and industry, and he advocated for the use of industrial processes to create well-designed, affordable products for the masses. This perspective aligned with the Japanese concept of “beauty in everyday life” and their emphasis on mass production and accessibility.

Sources

Google. (n.d.). Teapot with warmer – CHRISTOPHER DRESSER – GOOGLE Arts & culture. Google. Retrieved September 22, 2021, from https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/teapot-with-warmer-christopher-dresser/CgFRG4FUqTMkMw.

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