Inkwell and pen tray 1900

Curator: Before us, we have a lovely inkwell and pen tray crafted around 1900 by Charles Francis Annesley Voysey. The Minneapolis Institute of Art holds this elegant example of decorative art, fashioned from brass and glass. Editor: It radiates a kind of restrained opulence, doesn't it? The geometric forms are pleasing, especially that gleaming brass hemisphere atop the inkwell. Its polished surface contrasts wonderfully with the soft luster elsewhere. Curator: Absolutely. Voysey's commitment to the Arts and Crafts movement is visible here. The emphasis is on honest materials and hand craftsmanship rather than mass production, and think of the social values it espoused-- elevating craft to fine art, giving dignity to labor. Editor: Yes, and the formal construction – the stepped pyramid leading up to the orb – has a powerful simplicity, reflecting the architect's training as it subtly plays with light. Do you notice how the planes of the pen tray catch light and cast shadows, activating the space around the object itself? Curator: Very astute. But consider also what the creation of such a refined object during a period of enormous social upheaval says about consumer culture and class aspiration at the turn of the century. Access to writing, intellectual labor and office work as sources of authority. Editor: While it might reflect social dynamics, can we also acknowledge the aesthetic harmony achieved? The material properties, such as the coolness of brass against warm tones, and the interplay of volume and line. Curator: Yes, those qualities give aesthetic value to the piece. And it demonstrates that attention to design and materials can influence everyday life. Voysey hoped that good design accessible for many consumers could enrich British society. Editor: By observing its balanced design and its flawless surface treatment, it encourages us to return to simplicity, stripping away excess. It makes me imagine it resting on a writer's desk ready for contemplation, sparking inspiration with its sheer, composed presence. Curator: By understanding what objects like Voysey's pen tray represent—the relationship between art, labour and culture at the dawn of modernism—we understand our relationship to craft today, and how artistic intentions echo across a century. Editor: Precisely, its existence encapsulates a quiet dignity and confidence born of skilled artisanship, and a careful study of this work shows why it retains the power to affect us to this day.