Design drawing 1878 - 1888

Christopher Dresser made this design drawing on a sheet of paper, but it could easily have been for wallpaper, textiles, or ceramics. It's a bold, abstracted floral pattern reflecting a key moment in British design. Dresser was a leading figure in the aesthetic movement in Britain which took inspiration from Japanese design and valued beauty and good taste above all else. He was committed to making art accessible to all, and design reform was a social mission. He wrote extensively, lectured widely, and ran his own design firm. This drawing would have been a proposal for manufacturers. It reflects the influence of Owen Jones's theories of geometric abstraction in design, with the flattening of space and stylized floral motifs seen in Islamic art. By studying figures like Dresser, and publications like "The Grammar of Ornament" which influenced him, we can better understand the social function of art and design in the Victorian era.