Footed goblet with bulging bowl 1860

This footed goblet with bulging bowl was made by Philip Webb, a British architect and designer closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement. Consider the context in which Webb was working. The Industrial Revolution had changed both labor practices and the aesthetic landscape. The Arts and Crafts movement was, in part, a response to the perceived soullessness of mass production. Its proponents advocated for a return to traditional craftsmanship, valuing the handmade object and the individual artisan. There's something deeply humane about this goblet. Its simplicity and functionality speak to a desire to strip away the unnecessary ornamentation and excess that characterized much Victorian design. It is an attempt to return to a more authentic and meaningful way of life, connecting people with the objects they used every day. Webb's goblet embodies the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement and invites us to reflect on our relationship to consumer culture and the value we place on handmade objects.