Exhibition on Christopher Dresser – Britain’s first industrial designer

Christopher Dresser (1834-1904) is widely regarded as Britain’s first industrial designer.

A leading figure in the Aesthetic Movement, he embraced modern manufacturing processes to create affordable, functional, beautiful objects for the Victorian middle class, offering designs and ideas that remain radical and relevant today. Focusing on designs for the home, the exhibition brings together some 180 objects from private collections across the UK, many of which have never been publicly displayed. Ceramics, glass, metalwork, furniture and printed material reveal the remarkable breadth of Dresser’s output.

Dresser believed that good design could enhance everyday life and championed the use of traditional materials and modern manufacturing techniques, such as electroplating, to make well designed objects accessible to a wider audience. His embrace of new technologies contrasted with that of his contemporary, William Morris, a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement, which emphasised traditional handmade craftsmanship. A lifelong admirer of Japanese design, Dresser visited Japan in 1876, becoming the first British designer to do so on behalf of the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) after the country reopened to foreign trade. His influential book Japan: Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufactures (1882) helped fuel the Victorian fascination with Japonisme.

In addition to taking inspiration from Japan, Dresser modelled designs on historical artefacts from many periods, including Roman, Greek, Anglo-Saxon and Pre-Columbian, taking inspiration from their silhouettes. A section of the exhibition will place Dresser’s work alongside examples of historical objects on loan from Nottingham Museums & Galleries. The exhibition showcases work produced by many of the manufacturers Dresser collaborated with, including ceramics from Linthorpe Art Pottery, intricate cast iron objects made by Coalbrookdale Company, and fluid, abstract designs in Clutha glass from James Couper & Sons. It also features silver-plated tea sets and toast racks from James Dixon & Sons, whose striking forms appear to anticipate later Modernist and Bauhaus designs.

Dresser worked independently, allowing him to work with a multitude of manufacturers and retailers, including Liberty in London and Tiffany & Co in New York. He was interested in all aspects of design for the home and created elaborate interiors for several wealthy clients. Many of Dresser’s designs retain a remarkably contemporary appearance, and the exhibition includes a set of reproductions of a three-legged conical sugar bowl originally made in silver plate and reissued in brightly coloured resin by Italian design company Alessi in 1993. The exhibition also includes work by four contemporary artists – Gabriele Beveridge, Alice Channer, Coco Crampton, and Magdalene Odundo - whose work echoes Dresser’s innovative use of materials and design processes.

Joshua Lockwood, Exhibitions Manager at the Hub, said: "One of the most exciting aspects of this exhibition is the opportunity to introduce Christopher Dresser’s work to new audiences and to explore why his ideas still feel so relevant today. By placing his work alongside contemporary artists, we are able to look at his processes and innovations from fresh perspectives and highlight the lasting influence of his approach to design.” The exhibition runs from November 28 to March 7.