The Beginnings of Modernism: British Design, 1870-1910

In U.S. and European decorative arts in the late 1800s, Britain led the way in modern design. Some common themes emerged: an openness to global design influences and an embrace—or rejection—of industrial manufacturing. Christopher Dresser, considered the first modern industrial designer, worked with British manufacturers of furniture, metalwork, wallpaper, ceramics, and glass to create well-designed objects for mass production. Dresser, a trained botanist and world traveler, studied design from all cultures. His designs reflect either new uses of natural or cultural motifs, or incredible simplicity through a focus on geometry and surface. —Minneapolis Institute of Art