Christopher Dresser: Design Pioneer

- Blurb -

Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) was one of the most influential British designers of all time and he is widely regarded as Britain' s first independent industrial designer. His works still look remarkably modern more than a century later. Like his contemporary William Morris, Dresser advocated for an ' honesty of materials' , but unlike Morris he fully embraced industrial techniques, designing for the growing consumer market. Dresser' s fascination with the arts of Japan and his advocacy of Owen Jones' s principle that ornament should be geometrical in form resulted in a range of designs that look surprisingly minimal for their time. Affordable, well-designed, functional and commercially successful, the objects that Dresser designed - wallpapers, textiles, carpets, ceramics, furniture and, most famously, metalwork - were industrially produced by manufacturers across the UK, the US and continental Europe. This compact, beautifully produced book on the work of Christopher Dresser begins with a brief introduction to his life and work before presenting 75 of his most important pieces, each accompanied by a narrative-style caption. It will appeal to anyone interested in modern design.