Chronological Outline of the Life of Christopher Dresser
1834
Born in Glasgow, the third child of Christopher (1807-1869) and Mary (nee Nettleton), both from
Yorkshire families. (Father an Excise Officer; served in Yorkshire, Glasgow, Sussex, County Tipperary, County Cork and Hereford; rose to the rank of Collector.)
1847
Entered the government School of Design at Somerset House (later to be transferred to
Marlborough House)
1852
Awarded Scholarship of £15
1853
Winner of three medals and three prizes. Re-appointed to Scholarship.
1854
Re-appointed to Scholarship. Prize for design of 'garment fabrics'.
Married Thirza Perry of Maidley, Shropshire (her father, William, was a lay missionary with The City of London Mission).
Botanical illustrations and diagrams (for the Department of Science and Art) and now in the print room of the Victoria and Albert Museum appear to date from this year.
1855
Patented a method of 'nature printing'.
1856
Responsible for Plate XCVIII in Owen Jones' Grammar of Ornament, the plate illustrated 'the geometrical arrangement of flowers' - the accompanying note stated: '...the basis of all form is geometry, the impulse which forms the surface, starting at the centre with equal force, necessarily stops at equal distances ; the result is symmetry and regularity'.
1857
Began a series of articles for the Art Journal on Botany as adapted to the Arts and Art Manufactures which continued through 1858.
Delivered a paper On the Relation of Science to Ornamental Art at the Royal Institution wherein ideas concerning the application of natural laws to design were developed; these were to be expanded in the Art of Decorative Design (1862).
1858
Paper Contributions to Organgraphic Botany before the Linnean Society.
1859
The Rudiments of Botany...and Unity in Variety...published.
Paper - On the Morphological Import of Certain Vegetable Organs before the Edinburgh Botanical Society.
1860
Had the degree of Doctor of Philosophy conferred by the University of Jena 'in consideration of services he has rendered to Botanical Science'. (The Chair of Botany at Jena was held by M. J. Schleiden, 1804-1881, co-founder with Theodor Schwann of the theory of the cell.)
Popular Manual of Botany published.
Elected Fellow of the Edinburgh Botanical Society.
Candidate for the Chair of Botany at University College, London. (The Chair was obtained by Daniel Oliver, 1830-1916.)
1861
Elected Fellow of the Linnean Society.
1862
First book on design published - The Art of Decorative Design.
Development of Ornamental Art in the International Exhibition published (a critical guide).
Supplied a number of designs for this exhibition.
Although he probably knew something of Japanese design, from the small collection acquired by Henry Cole for the museum at Marlborough House, it was due to the showing of Sir Rutherford Alcock's collection at the International Exhibition that Dresser had the opportunity of seeing a comprehensive selection of Japanese work; he made drawings and purchases from Sir Rutherford's collection.
1865
A sketchbook dating from about this year suggests an interest in the design of silver and plate and a decorative vocabulary that was already fully mature.
1867
Began a series of articles in the Chromolithograph (a short-lived publication in which had been incorporated Nature and Art) on selected examples of work exhibited in the Paris Exhibition of this year.
George Augustus Sala wrote of Dresser as the designer of 'beautiful and luxurious carpets' for messrs Brinton & Lewis; he also observed '...for some years past the taste and skill of Dr Dresser have been put into rquisition by some of th leading art manufacturers both of England and the Continent...both as a designer of models and as a general art adviser...'.
1868
Last lectured in Botany at South Kensington.
1869
Moved to Tower Cressy, a large house on Campden Hill.
1870
Began The Principles of Decorative Design, a series of articles in Cassell's Technical Educator (published in book form 1873)
1871
Paper - Ornamentation Considered as High Art before the Royal Society of Arts which set out views similar to those expressed in The Art of Decorative Design (1862); Dresser stated: '...that true ornamentation is of purely mental origin, and consists of symbolised imagination or emotion only. I therefore argue that ornamentation is not only fine art, but that it is high art...even a higher art than that practised by the pictorial artist, as it is wholly of mental origin...'.
Designed a castiron ornamental table and hatstand for the Coalbrookdale Company shown at the international exhibition, South Kensington. Designed a number of brocades for J.W.&C.Ward illustrated in the Art-Journal which noted that Dresser's designs '...have been of great practical value to many classes...of British manufacturers...'.
1873
Visited the Vienna International Exhibition.
1874
Lectured on Owen Jones at Jones' Memorial Exhibition. Dresser spoke of Jones as having first taught him to think '...and what was ornament unless it embodied mind?' Also referred to five lectures delivered by Jones in 1849 andtheir formative influence. Jones was the greatest ornamentist of modern times'. The issue in 20 parts, of Studies in Design begun, Dresser wrote that he had '...prepared this work with the hope of assisting to bring about a better style of decoration for our houses'.
1875
Began designing for Elkington & Company, makers of silver and plate.
1876
Left England to visit Japan (in a semi-official capacity) calling at the Philadelphia Centenary Exhibition en route.
1877
Spent about 4 months in Japan and presented the Emperor with a collection of examples of the work of some of the leading British Manufacturers, intended to form part of the the collection of the newly founded National Museum. Dresser told the Emperor:'...For years past I have been an admirer and collector of Japanese objects...'. Travelled in all about 1,700 miles in Japan visiting temples, shrines and centres of traditional manufacture. Also collected, on behalf of Tiffany & Company of New York, examples of Japanese goods including 'many objects for ordinary domestic use' which were auctioned in June, 1877.
1878
Served as Juror (class 22, paperhangings) at the International Exhibition in Paris.
Earliest designs for Hukin & Heath (manufacturers of silver and plate) appear to date from this year.
1879
Entered into partnership with Charles Holme of Bradford; trading under the name of Dresser & Holme, the company was to import Japanese and other oriental wares. Sir Rutherford and Lady Alcock and members of the Japanese legation were among the distinguished guests who attended the opening of the showrooms in Farringdon Road.
Began designing for the Linthorpe Art Pottery and acted as 'Art Superintendent'.
1880
Appointed Art Editor of The Furniture Gazette, a position which Dresser held for a year. The first issue under Dresser's editorship contains Owen Jones' Propositions from his Grammar of Ornament (1856) which began 'the decorative arts arise from, and should properly be attendant upon architecture'.
Appointed 'Art Manager' of the Art Furnishers' Alliance' established to 'carry on the business of manufacturing, buying and selling high class goods of artistic design'. (Dresser had only a nominal financial involvement in the Alliance.) Among the manufacturers and traders who had substantial holdings were George Hayter Chubb (who was appointed chairman), Edward Cope, James Dixon & Sons and A. Lasenby Liberty; Sir Edward Lee, who had organised the Dublin Exhibition of Arts, Industries and Manufacturers of 1872 was appointed Company Secretary. Despite support by influential manufacturers the Art Furnishers' Alliance went into liquidation in May, 1883.
Decorated the interior and designed much of the furniture of Bushloe House, Wigston Magna, near Leicester, the house of Hiram B. Owston, his solicitor. (A wardrobe and dressing table from this house are to be seen in the Aesthetic Movement and Cult of Japan Exhibition - also at the Fine Art Society.
1882
Japan, its architecture, Art and Art Manufacturers, a lengthy account of the visit to Japan, was published; in the preface Dresser wrote of 'a long and painful illness' from which he had suffered during the preparation of the book.
1883
Moved to Wellesley Lodge, Brunswick Road, Sutton (probably an indication of declining fortunes).
1886
Modern Ornamentation published (which included work byassistants and pupils), the book represented 'but one phase...of our office work...there are no examples of architectural work, of designs for furniture, glass, earthenware, metalwork or the numerous things that emanate from this office'.
1889
Moved to Elm Bank, near Barnes Railway Bridge (probably an indication of improving fortunes).
Apart from designoing textiles and patterns Dresser was probably designing for William Ault's pottery, for Benham and Froud, metalworkers, and for William Couper of Glasgow, glass makers.
1899
An anonymous article in The Studio spoke of Dresser as not the least but perhaps the greatest of commercial designers, imposing hisfantasy and invention upon the ordinary output of British Industry.
1904
Died on 24th November, in his sleep, at the Hotel Central, Mulhouse (Alsace), whilst on a business trip. Dresser had been accompanied by his son Louis.
The net value of Dresser's personal estate was £2,157.5.3.
The Builder obituary (10th December, 1904) spoke of Dresser's last years: '...he spent most of his time in preparing designs for manufacturers and in the enjoyment of his garden and flowers.
'He was a most genial companion and interesting talker, and never tired of discussion on Art and the habits of the nations of the East, trying to trace their histories by their ornamental forms as a philologist does by their language...'.
Professorships in Botany held by Dresser
Professor of Botany applied to the Fine Arts in the Department of Science and Art, South Kensington (1860-62) (Lecturer probably from 1854)
Professor of Botany at the London Hospital Medical School (1860-62)
Professor of Botany at the Ladies School (1860)
Professor of Scientific Botany at the Royal Polytechnic Institution (1860-62)
Professor of Ornamental Art and Botany in the Crystal Palace, Sydenham (1862)
The datings of Dresser's professorships are to a great extent a matter of conjecture, on the birth certificates of his children he merely styled himself 'botanist' or 'professor of botany' and specified no institutions. The last time he described himself as a 'Professor of Botany' was on the birth certificate of Stanley Lewis Dresser, born in 1867. On the birth certificate of Ella Rosomond Dresser, born in 1872, he described himself as an Architect. (Sources as to the institutions where Dresser taught have been the title pages of his various books where the professorships are listed after his name.)
The above text is an extract from a pamphlet held in the National Library
of Australia, viz.:
Catalog for an exhibition:"Christopher Dresser, 1834-1904"
held on: 3 October to 27 October 1972
arranged by: Richard Dennis and John Jesse
for: The Fine Art Society Ltd,
148 New Bond Street, London W1
only minor changes have been made, apart from the addition of
clickable pages and pictures.
