Art Institute of Chicago

Clutha Vase

Designed by Christopher Dresser (English, born Scotland, 1834-1904)

Date

c. 1895

Medium

Blown glass

Culture

Glasgow

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

In designing his Clutha line, Dresser looked to ancient Roman and Venetian glass that incorporated several colors to great effect. His embrace of naturally occurring bubbles and striations in the glass lends a handcrafted aesthetic, while the vase’s sinuous form references the burgeoning Art Nouveau style. Clutha is the ancient Celtic name for Clyde, the river that flows through Glasgow; the maker of this vase, James Couper and Sons, was located on the banks of the River Clyde. The Clutha line was sold at the fashionable department store Liberty and Co. in London.

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