Vase 1882 - 1890

Curator: Looking at this vase from the late 19th century, likely between 1882 and 1890, it really does evoke a certain dreaminess, doesn't it? The makers are Ott and Brewer. Editor: Dreaminess is right! It's giving me sunset vibes, all hazy pinks and shimmering gold. Is that... a dandelion theme happening? Curator: Indeed. It's ceramic, adorned with golden dandelions and a bird—perhaps a crane—soaring amidst fluffy, gilded clouds. Note the handles, they are delicately crafted with what appears to be pierced floral designs. It resides in the decorative arts collection at the Met. Editor: Pierced floral designs - that level of detailing is amazing. What's particularly striking is how functional this beautiful vase actually is: it looks fragile but feels like solid material expression with skilled craftsmanship involved, don’t you think? Curator: Absolutely. Ott and Brewer were significant players in the American art pottery movement, focusing on merging beauty with everyday objects. They drew inspiration from nature and this vase, I feel, it exemplifies the ethos of the Arts and Crafts movement so well. Editor: Right, and looking at it from a materialist point of view, the firing process would have been crucial to achieving that ethereal pink hue, right? The intense labor involved in producing the gold decoration is equally compelling; I mean just look at the bird’s individual feathers! This vase encapsulates the ideals of handcrafted beauty in a late industrial world. Curator: I’m with you, and I find the choice of dandelions quite evocative as well, because in their ephemeral nature, there's something profoundly hopeful; a cycle of growth, decay, and renewal mirroring the journey of life. And placing the scene in ceramic—the ultimate medium of everyday life and functionality. How intriguing? Editor: Absolutely intriguing. When considering the vase through a lens of material production, it brings attention to class dynamics and aesthetic preferences in that time. Now it prompts reflections on our relationship with nature and value in art, whether ‘high’ or ‘applied’, doesn't it? Curator: Exactly! The bird in flight seems to carry the viewer on a journey that intersects the natural and the artistic—a harmonious blend of meticulous crafting and imaginative expression. Editor: Very beautifully said. Looking at the way art manifests and gets embodied in these vases is absolutely revealing.