<p>Christopher Dresser (18341904) was the first industrial designer of the modern era. A true radical, he favored form over ornament, and his stylish, spare, and astonishingly modern designs contrast sharply with the highly ornate work of his Victorian contemporaries. Believing that good design could be popularized through industry, Dresser worked with more than 50 manufacturers to produce an enormous variety of reasonably priced, widely available consumer products. This book is published to accompany the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to his career. More than 300 superb color photographs reveal Dresser's highly innovative ceramics, cast-iron garden furniture, and stark, geometric silverplate tableware, as well as previously unattributed designs for textiles, wallpaper, and glass. With essays based on the latest research, this stunning volume brings Dresser the attention he deserves.</p>

Shock of the Old: Christopher Dresser's Design Revolution

Arts & Photography

Whiteway, Michael

Architecture

V&A Publishing

Christopher Dresser : A Design Revolution

History & Criticism

V&A Publications

This volume is an illustrated anthology of 300 pieces surveying the work of Christopher Dresser, known as "the father of modern design." Like William Morris he believed that beautiful design should be available to everyone, unlike Morris, he thought that mass production was the best way to achieve that, and this dichotomy neatly represents his place as a bridge between the Arts & Crafts movement and industrial design. This book looks at all aspects of Dresser's career including wallpaper design, a wide variety of metalwork (most notably tableware and teapots), textile design, pottery, and glassware. His fascination with Japanese art and design gave his metalwork in particular a clean, minimalist look that seems to anticipate much of modern design from Bauhaus to Michael Graves. Well known and respected in his lifetime, his reputation suffered in the years after his death, and it is only in the last few decades that interest in his work has been revived. As a result, his pieces can be found in the collections of art museums nationwide and continue to sell well at auction. A long overdue look at one of design's most influential figures, this book will be a welcome addition to any design lover's library.

Christopher Dresser 1834-1904

Decorative Arts & Design

Skira

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