Pitcher c. 1905

Curator: This "Pitcher," crafted around 1905 by Koloman Moser, resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Its materials include ceramic and glass, making it a fascinating object within decorative arts. Editor: My immediate impression is of solidified light, a block of ice somehow shaped into something so...utilitarian. The rough texture plays beautifully with the light. Curator: Indeed. Moser, a pivotal figure in the Wiener Werkstätte, championed an integrated approach to art, connecting it to daily life. A simple glass pitcher, then, embodies the workshop's aim to revolutionize everyday aesthetics, making functional items into artworks for everyone, irrespective of class. Editor: Considering this aim, can we read the material itself as part of the statement? The transparency and fragility suggest a delicate relationship to consumer culture, doesn't it? The Art Nouveau era was full of anxiety. Curator: Absolutely. Art Nouveau objects were meant to signify a move away from mass-produced items and back to more handmade, high-quality goods. Moser was very influential in integrating geometric forms that marked an effort toward modernist designs, even as they kept a decorative touch that's apparent in this piece, in this period there were significant discourses around gendered labor and the feminization of design. Editor: It is captivating how Moser blends this clear, almost severe geometry with organic fluidity in this piece. The interplay transforms a conventional form into something almost...crystalline, defying the expected weightiness of glass. Curator: Its existence challenges the accepted roles of design, class and labour. This "Pitcher," isn’t merely a vessel. It represents a moment when artistry aspired to democratize design by bridging societal divides through creativity and craftsmanship. Editor: In this object, art isn't elevated or disconnected; it is fundamentally intertwined with lived experience and with society’s ambitions. The very clear aesthetics that it presents make us think. Curator: Seeing design history as intrinsic to questions of gender, labour, and class reminds us that a “simple” object carries immense cultural weight. It offers fresh points to intervene into traditional understandings of the time.