Kettle

This work will strengthen Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum's small but strong group of works by this Glasgow-born designer. The copper kettle with its beaten surface was designed for London manufacturers Behnham and Froud - the only company not yet represented in the collection. Dresser was a pioneer of the British Design Reform Movement from 1860 onwards, notable for his modern pieces that were suitable for mass production and available to all. He was described by The Studio in 1899 as 'perhaps the greatest of commercial designers, imposing his fantasy and invention upon the ordinary output of British industry.' This kettle clearly shows the influence of Japan on Dresser's designs. He was a passionate advocate of Japanese culture, and was partly responsible for the cult of Japan that raged through Western artistic circles during the 1880s. The fact that the kettle is not in pristine condition only enhances it's interest for the museum, proving Dresser's success in designing peices to be used rather than remaining on display.