In reaction to ever-increasing mechanization, the Arts and Crafts movement of the late nineteenth century fostered a sense of nostalgia for the skilled craftsman who created objects completely by hand. In an attempt to hearken back to that lost tradition, the Gorham Manufacturing Company introduced its Martele line, which premiered at the 1900 Paris International Exposition. Martele pieces (French for hand-hammered) combined the free-flowing, naturalistic style of Art Nouveau, seen in this pitcher's lily pad design, with elements that revealed the presence of the craftsman, such as visible hammer marks. Although Gorham's silversmiths had a great deal of control over the design and decoration of Martele pieces, the line was nonetheless created in a modernized factory setting.