Firedog 1893

These wrought steel firedogs were designed by George Jack, an important figure in the British Arts and Crafts movement. The movement emerged in reaction to industrialization, advocating for a return to traditional craftsmanship. But what did this mean in practice? The Arts and Crafts movement was deeply intertwined with the social and political concerns of its time. It critiqued the class divisions perpetuated by industrial production, where the wealthy profited at the expense of the working class. By emphasizing handmade goods, they hoped to bridge the gap between the designer and the maker, elevating the status of craftspeople. Yet, the movement's focus on aesthetics sometimes overshadowed its social aims. The objects they created, like these firedogs, were often luxury items, accessible only to the affluent. The firedogs embody the movement’s complex relationship to labor, class, and the changing landscape of British society. Their form speaks to a longing for a romanticized past.