Kettle 1880 - 1890

This is a copper and brass kettle designed by Christopher Dresser, a prominent figure in the late 19th century British art scene. Dresser championed design reform and advocated for affordable, mass-produced, aesthetically pleasing objects for the home. The kettle's unconventional form, stark geometry and minimal ornamentation reflect Dresser's interest in Japanese design, and his break from Victorian-era historicism. Made in an industrial context, it aimed to make high design available beyond elite circles. Dresser straddled the worlds of art and manufacture. He studied botany and design, ran his own design studio, and worked with manufacturers to translate his ideas into commercial products. Objects like this kettle ask us to consider the politics of design. Who has access to beauty? How can industrial production serve social good? Museum collections, design journals, and manufacturer's catalogs all provide valuable information about the complex social history of design.