“It is strange that, though they are so fond of portraying storks and drawing them in every conceivable attitude, during the whole time of my sojourn in Japan I never saw but one living specimen of this bird. Owing to the numberless representations of them which we see on Japanese works, I used to think that storks must be almost as common in Japan as sparrows are in England; but this proved to be a great mistake.”
Christopher Dresser, Japan: Its architecture, art, and art manufactures (Longmans, Green, & Co: London, 1882), page 273.
“It is strange that, though they are so fond of portraying storks and drawing them in every conceivable attitude, during the whole time of my sojourn in Japan I never saw but one living specimen of this bird. Owing to the numberless representations of them which we see on Japanese works, I used to think that storks must be almost as common in Japan as sparrows are in England; but this proved to be a great mistake.”
Christopher Dresser, Japan: Its architecture, art, and art manufactures (Longmans, Green, & Co: London, 1882), page 273.
Essay
The arts of Japan held major influence over Aesthetic Movement designers. Indeed, Christopher Dresser was the first Western designer to enter the country after it had been opened to Western trade in 1854. His publication Japan: Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufactures was instrumental in disseminating Japanese design in Europe. This tile, featuring a trio of cranes in flight, speaks to the influence of the Japanese aesthetic across multiple social strata: decorating the interiors of the middle- and upper-classes alike, tiles like this were intended to be affordable and beautiful so that a well-designed domestic life could be accessible to all.
Condition
Excellent. Fine allover crazing. Two tiny chips to left side edge each measuring approximately 0.4 cm. Some minor chipping to back edges, not visible from front.
For a detailed condition report, please contact us.
References
Literature
Stoke 1984 / Minton Tiles 1835-1935, eds. D. S. Skinner and Hans van Lemmen (City Museum and Art Gallery: Stoke-on-Trent, 1984).
The arts of Japan held major influence over Aesthetic Movement designers. Indeed, Christopher Dresser was the first Western designer to enter the country after it had been opened to Western trade in 1854. His publication Japan: Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufactures was instrumental in disseminating Japanese design in Europe. This tile, featuring a trio of cranes in flight, speaks to the influence of the Japanese aesthetic across multiple social strata: decorating the interiors of the middle- and upper-classes alike, tiles like this were intended to be affordable and beautiful so that a well-designed domestic life could be accessible to all.
Excellent. Fine allover crazing. Two tiny chips to left side edge each measuring approximately 0.4 cm. Some minor chipping to back edges, not visible from front.
For a detailed condition report, please contact us.
Stoke 1984 / Minton Tiles 1835-1935, eds. D. S. Skinner and Hans van Lemmen (City Museum and Art Gallery: Stoke-on-Trent, 1984).
This item ships free to the continental US, and globally for a flat-rate fee of $50.
All objects are packed with utmost care by our team of expert fine art shippers. All items are shipped with parcel insurance.
For more information on our shipping policies, please visit our FAQ Page.
