Grotesque Vase

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Towards the end of his career, Ault Pottery contracted Christopher Dresser to produce innovative vases and other forms for the new firm. One of his most iconic designs for Ault was this vase featuring stylized goat heads perched on elongated hooved legs. This humorous vase was part of a series of brightly colored vessels with handles constructed of grotesquely proportioned animals or humans. Grotesques are monstrous figures, such as those portrayed in stone on medieval cathedrals, which may have served as a source of inspiration for this unusual design.

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