Design drawing
ca. 1883, based on earlier design
Medium
Graphite, ink, and gouache (bodycolor)
Dimensions
sheet: 15 15/16 x 11 in. (40.5 x 27.9 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1992
Accession Number
1992.1046.18a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite design drawing by Christopher Dress, dating to around 1883 based on an earlier concept exemplifies the innovative spirit of late Victorian decorative arts. Dresser, a pioneering British often called the world's first industrial designer, bridged the Arts and Crafts Movement with mass production. Working across ceramics, textiles, metalwork, and furniture, he drew inspiration from global motifs—like Japanese asymmetry and natural forms—to create affordable, patterns for everyday objects. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, sheet (15 15/16 x ...
About the Artist
Christopher Dresser · 1834–1904
Christopher Dresser (1834–1904) was one of the most innovative and prolific designers of the nineteenth century, widely regarded as a pioneer of industrial design long before that discipline had a name. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he trained at the Government School of Design in London, where he studied under leading educators committed to improving the quality of British manufactured goods. He wen...