Although at first glance this flamboyant vase presents a seeming welter of surface ornament, on closer examination we see how Lycett, working within the principles of visual harmony and balance central to Aestheticism, deftly controls this abundance, deploying his ornamental motifs in a dramatic series of bands that alternate complementary textures and hues within a narrow but vivid color palette.

WSJ: Masterpiece: Gilded Abundance, Elegantly Restrained