Teapot 1910

This teapot and accompanying pieces were made by William Ernst Hentschel, who lived and worked in the United States. What makes this set interesting is its engagement with the Arts and Crafts movement, a design movement that valued handmade objects, and sought to improve the aesthetics of everyday life. Mass-produced, industrial goods were seen to be soulless. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the movement was a reaction against industrial capitalism. The tulip motif, the handmade quality of the pottery, and its emphasis on quiet and naturalistic beauty are all key features of the Arts and Crafts movement. Pottery programs in schools were important to the movement. Understanding an object like this means looking into institutions like craft guilds, schools, and museums. These can tell us about the economic and social place of design at a particular moment in time.