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Covered bowl
Ashbee, Charles Robert, born 1863 - died 1942 - Enlarge image
Covered bowl
- Place of origin:
London, England (made)
- Date:
1899-1900 (hallmarked)
- Artist/Maker:
Ashbee, Charles Robert, born 1863 - died 1942 (designer)
Guild of Handicraft Ltd (maker) - Materials and Techniques:
Silver and red enamel, the lid set with a semi-precious stone
- Credit Line:
Given by Mary Adam
- Museum number:
CIRC.77-1953
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 125g, case 8
Object Type
This bowl and cover have all the essential characteristics of Charles Robert Ashbee's mature metalwork. The design is a harmonious combination of a few simple elements: the broad expanse of enamel on the lid, the lightly hammered surface on the underside of the bowl and the plain, looped legs on ball feet combine to give sophistication to an object designed in a thoroughly contemporary idiom.
People
Ashbee and his fellow guildsmen sought to promote a natural and ethical approach towards craftsmanship. They adopted the aesthetic principles of the Arts and Crafts Movement in which the transformational potential of creativity was re-integrated into daily life through art. Their social orientation was towards equality and co-operation beyond the workshop. This was manifest, for instance, in profit-sharing and communal activities such as sport and music making.
Materials & Making
Ashbee and his Guild reacted against the mechanical, highly finished silver products manufactured on production lines in large-scale factories. They attempted to re-assert the role of the individual craftsman who could oversee the creation of an item from start to finish. Hammer marks are clearly visible on the surface of this bowl, a deliberate finish to emphasise that it was handmade.
