The Arts and Crafts Movement

                            The Arts and Crafts Movement

The Arts and Crafts Movement  flourished in the 19th century as a reaction against the flashy, over elaborated high style of Victorian. It was also a form of nostalgia, designers wanted to bring back the handcrafted goods which were true to their materials in opposition to the 'mass produced, poor quality machine-made items' of the time. It was led by William Morris, who was inspired by writings of Augustus Pugin and John Ruskin. It was all about traditional craftsmanship and being anti-industrial, with simpler forms and 'often applied medieval, romantic or folk styles of decoration'.

Detail of Macassar ebony box lined with cherry and inlaid with silver and ivory, c. 1904-10

Visually, The Arts and Crafts movement can be characterised by;

• Handmade objects
• Aesthetic quality
• Emphasising the beauty of 'natural materials'
• stylised flowers
• upside down hearts

Screen, John Henry Dearle (designer), Morris & Co. (manufacturer), 1885-1910. Museum no. CIRC.848-1956

 More than a style. the Arts and Crafts Movement was also a way of life, shared to an extent by designers and their clients.





University of Leicester, Craft and Design: Ernest Gimson & the Arts and Crafts Movement [online] available at http://www2.le.ac.uk/ebulletin/news/out-and-about/2000-2009/2008/10/nparticle.2008-10-28.2340415024
Arts and Crafts Museum, The Arts and Crafts Movement [online] available at http://www.artsandcraftsmuseum.org.uk/Arts_and_Crafts_Movement/The_Arts_and_Crafts_Movement.aspx
V&A,Arts & Crafts: Britain 1880-1914 [online] available at http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/arts-and-crafts-britain-1880-1914/
Wikipedia, Arts and Crafts Movement [online] available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_movement
BBC, Arts and crafts (c.1860 to 1910) [online] available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/design/period_artscrafts.shtml