Christopher Dresser

The unorthodox design of this pitcher, with its intersecting triangles and random patterns of decoration, is believed to be by Christopher Dresser, one of the most innovative industrial designers in Britain in the late 19th century. In 1876, he traveled to Japan as a representative of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and also as a buyer for Tiffany and Company, New York. The lessons Dresser learned from everyday Japanese objects inspired him to design simple forms with ornament abstracted from nature. The more conventional fans and flowers used to decorate this pitcher suggest that some buyers still clung to traditional motifs, even on the most daring designs. This is the first ceramic object by Dresser to enter the Museum's collection, which previously contained only his glass and metalwork.