Moorcroft Transformation Vase

Like the cheerful chirp of a canary in a coal mine, a kaleidoscope of butterflies is representative of the health of our natural world. The rewilding of many parts of the United Kingdom has allowed the declining populations of the dazzling Peacock butterfly to replenish, so that these, and other guardians of summer, can pollinate our world and open the gates into an exciting world of colour and design. Moorcroft’s Butterfly Festival Days not only offer us an opportunity to open our doors and showcase our heritage skills, but to also celebrate these symbols of freedom, transformation and life. Artist Vincent Van Gogh used butterflies in his works as a symbol of hope, William Moorcroft as decorative Art Nouveau motifs, and now our own Design Studio have created a design immersion experience for us all – so let us embrace their fragile beauty, their mystery and carefully crafted natural surroundings.

In Art Nouveau, butterflies symbolize transformation, beauty and freedom, perfectly aligning with the movement's ornate and flowing design principles. Transformation shows a mastery of the Art Nouveau style, with even the butterflies’ antennae crafted into curls as Kerry abandons straight edges in favour of flowing lines, repeating rhythm, and asymmetry for a natural feel. 

The colours used in Art Nouveau interior design were often turquoise, sage, peacock blue, mustard, olive, pale lilac, black, silver, gold, white and pink. Together they formed an ethereal look to walls and glasswork made famous by designer Louis Comfort Tiffany. In Art Nouveau ceramics, whilst William Moorcroft had acquired the surface design style and shape of the era, he had not yet discovered the colour palette that could facilitate this effect.

Like the stages of transformation itself, from caterpillar to butterfly, Kerry steps forward with her vibrant blue-on-gold butterflies which twist evocatively with petals gently blushed with pink and maroon as they dance against a light, buttery ground. The result is not unlike the famous Butterfly Window in Tiffany’s own Seventy-Second Street mansion in New York (c.1885) where leaves morph into butterfly wings as the sunlight pours through the gold leaf.

Designer: Kerry Goodwin              

Shape: 99/8

Limited Edition 15

Size | Height 20cm