Christopher Dresser : A Pioneer of Modern Design

Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) was a pioneer of modern design and arguably Europe's first industrial designer. He enthusiastically promoted machines and mass-production, and his prolific output embraced a wide range of styles and techniques in ceramics, glass, metalwork, furniture, carpets, textiles, wallpapers and interior decoration. He worked for the leading manufacturers of the day, and was an influential writer and theorist, pioneering a scientific attitude to design and stressing the importance of function, simplicity, mechanical skill and the use of readily available materials.