Four Designs for Vases 19th century

This sheet of vase designs was made by an anonymous artist, using paper, pen, and watercolor. These are traditional art materials, of course, but here they are deployed to a perhaps untraditional end: not fine art, but design. Look closely and you can see how the watercolor washes allow for nuanced shading and color blending, creating depth and form on a flat surface. The pen work is precise, delineating intricate patterns and details with fine lines. Together, these materials help the artist to explore the shapes and potential ornamentation for vases, probably intended for ceramic production. The question is, who was this artist, and for whom were these designs intended? The paper itself shows some age and distress, bearing witness to its past handling and storage. The designs offer us a glimpse into the world of ceramic production, where artistic vision meets the skills of craftsmanship. In a time when a premium was placed on art’s originality, these images highlight the critical role of design in the making of functional objects.