Lobed bottle vase 1875 - 1885

Christopher Dresser designed this Lobed Bottle Vase with stoneware, a stunning example of late 19th-century design. Its striking form immediately grabs your attention: a sphere intersected by vertical lobes, crowned with a cylindrical neck and grounded by a geometric base. The rich, iridescent glaze pools in greens and browns, creating a fluid, organic feel against the vase's structured shape. This contrast is key. Dresser, influenced by both the Arts and Crafts movement and Japanese aesthetics, sought to reconcile industrial production with artistic expression. The vase’s construction reflects this, blending clean, modern lines with the unpredictable beauty of the glaze. It challenges conventional notions of ornamentation, suggesting that beauty can arise from the interplay between form, material, and controlled chance. The Lobed Bottle Vase is not just a vessel; it’s a statement about design’s potential to bridge art and industry.