Vase with goat masks 1889 - 1899

This Vase with Goat Masks was created by Christopher Dresser, a Scottish designer working in the late 19th century. Dresser was a key figure in the Aesthetic Movement in Britain, which emphasized beauty and artistic taste in response to what they saw as the soullessness of industrial production. The vase's design, with its stylized goat masks, reveals the influence of non-Western cultures, particularly Japanese art, on Dresser's work, as it reflects the late 19th century fascination with exoticism and the desire to break away from conventional Victorian aesthetics. Dresser's association with reform movements in design and his writings advocating for accessible art underscore his interest in the democratization of design. To truly grasp the vase's significance, one might delve into the writings of Dresser himself and the publications of the design reform movements. The meaning of art lies not only in its aesthetic appeal but also in its complex social and institutional context.