Pitcher

1912

William C. Codman, Designer Gorham Manufacturing Co., Manufacturer

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About the Artwork

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Markings

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Provenance

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Published References

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Catalogue Raisonné

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Credit Line for Reproduction

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About the Artwork

Codman was chief designer of Gorham Manufacturing Company from 1891 until his
retirement in 1914. In 1896, the company introduced his revolutionary new program to produce a line of handmade silver, called Martelé (hand-hammered) in the Arts and Crafts tradition.
Codman said that the new work was to be “modern art,” and the modern art of 1900 was art nouveau. Thus, he parted company with most of the other American makers of Arts and Crafts silverware. Pieces signed by Codman are rare, though we know he personally designed the entire Martelé line. This voluptuous pitcher, with leaf and undulating lily-of-the-valley motifs, is one of the most important manifestations of art nouveau in America.

Title Pitcher

Artwork Date 1912

Makers William C. Codman (Designer) American, 1839 - 1921 Gorham Manufacturing Co. (Manufacturer) American, established 1831

Medium Silver-martele, hammered and chased

Dimensions Overall: 10 3/4 × 8 × 5 1/8 inches (27.3 × 20.3 × 13 cm)

Classification Silver

Department American Art before 1950

Credit Founders Society Purchase, Mrs. Charles Theron Van Dusen Fund and American Art General Fund

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 1991.134

Markings

Signed Signed: W.C. Codman

Inscriptions Engraved, bottom: W. C. Codman

Provenance

1991-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

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Exhibition History

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Published References

"American Decorative Arts Acquisitions 1985-2005." Bulletin of the DIA, 81, 1-2 (2007): p. 75.

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

William C. Codman; Gorham Manufacturing Co., Pitcher, 1912, silver-martele, hammered and chased. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase, Mrs. Charles Theron Van Dusen Fund and American Art General Fund, 1991.134.