Coat stand, c. 1867, Christopher Dresser; Manufacturer: Coalbrookdale Co., Scottish, 1834-1904, 74 x 25 3/4 x 9 1/4 in. (187.96 x 65.41 x 23.5 cm), Cast iron, England, 19th century, Few late-19th century artists were as successful or as versatile as Christopher Dresser in designing objects made of vastly different material, including wood, glass, ceramics, textiles, silver, and iron. Here cast iron is manipulated with a painted surface that imitates the grain of wood, one of several finishes offered by Coalbrookdale in their catalogues. The overlapping motifs of thistles, banana leaves, and stylized snake or dragon heads speak to Dresser's scientific education as well as his desire to render flora and fauna in abstract, geometric forms. The sinuous curves of this coatstand give the object a sense of rhythm, suggestive of the then nascent Art Nouveau style.
Keywords:
Coat stand, 1867, Christopher Dresser, Manufacturer, Coalbrookdale Co, Scottish, 1834-1904, Cast iron, England, 19th century, late-19th century artists, successful, versatile, Christopher Dresser, designing objects, vastly different material, wood, glass, ceramics, textiles, silver, iron, cast iron, manipulated, painted surface, imitates, grain, wood, several finishes offered, Coalbrookdale, catalogues, overlapping motifs, thistles, banana leaves, stylized snake, dragon heads speak, Dresser's scientific education, well, desire, render flora, fauna, abstract, geometric forms, sinuous curves, coatstand give, object, sense, rhythm, suggestive, nascent Art Nouveau style
Image ID:
The watermark in the image will not appear on the final download.