Christopher Dresser: A Design Revolution

Dresser was also a pioneer in his vision of industry as a means to spread the tenets of good design. Working with over fifty manufacturers, he produced an astonishing range of reasonably priced, widely available consumer goods, while his belief in the supremacy of form over ornament resulted in designs that were truly radical in relation to contemporary Victorian taste. Seven leading specialists in the field explore the impact of Christopher Dresser's work in the context of that of his contemporaries such as Pugin, Owen Jones and Godwin. Over 300 illustrations illuminate the vast scope of his output, from Gothic-Revival castiron to the experimental and highly innovative shapes and glazes of Linthorpe ceramics and his astonishingly modern metalwork. This ground-breaking book reassesses not only individual designs (many of them previously unattributed) but also his varied sources of inspiration, including the strong Japanese influence in his later work, and the profound impact his work has had on future generations.