Toast rack 1881

This toast rack was created by Christopher Dresser in England during the late 19th century. Dresser was a designer who was influential in both the Aesthetic movement and the later Art Nouveau. Consider the social role of art, and the institutional conditions that shape artistic production in this period. Dresser was deeply engaged with the debates of his time. On the one hand, he embraced new industrial methods and materials, designing affordable goods for the middle classes. He was one of the first independent designers, licensing his designs to manufacturers, a system pioneered by Josiah Wedgwood a century earlier. On the other hand, he was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement. Dresser’s use of geometric shapes and machine production reflected the evolving industrial landscape, but also referenced historical styles, like the designs from ancient cultures that he saw displayed in the museums of his time. Looking at an object like this, the art historian takes into account not just its aesthetic qualities, but also the complex social and economic factors that influenced its creation.