William Morris - The Arts and Crafts of To-day

Definition of Applied Art

• Applied Art refers to the ornamental quality added to utility articles.
• Man has historically never done without ornamentation, linking it to intellectual and aesthetic satisfaction.
• The purpose of applying art to utility is twofold:
  • To add beauty to otherwise ugly work.
  • To make labor pleasurable.

The Necessity of Applied Arts

• Without art, man-made creations are actively ugly and degrading.
• Nature compensates for this in areas where art cannot be applied, such as natural processes.
• Art makes necessary labor pleasurable, avoiding the misery of toil without reward.
• Eating is analogous to applied art – satisfying hunger is pleasurable, like art makes labor.

Applied Arts and Architecture

• Architecture is essentially synonymous with applied art.
• True applied art is a well-built, beautifully ornamented building expressing the inhabitants' lives.
• Ideal works involve harmonious cooperation of people, not possible by one individual.

Challenges in Modern Applied Arts

• Modern buildings lack the cooperative tradition and spirit of medieval buildings.
• The commercial approach prioritizes market over artistic value, creating a divide between art and commerce.
• Artists are isolated from cooperative traditions, leading to struggles for personal style.

Hope and Change

• There is a movement towards recognizing the pleasure in labor and the importance of art.
• The 19th century shows signs of "fruitful discontent" and a hope for better days.
• Artists today bear the responsibility of reminding society that labor can be pleasurable and art has a role.

Conclusion

• Artists must strive to become good craftsmen and aim for a cooperative art of life.
• This vision includes a society where everyone works harmoniously, each for all and all for each, leading to true equality.

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Bibliographical Note

• Title: The Arts and Crafts of Today
• Delivery: 30th October 1889, Edinburgh
• Publication: 1901, Longmans & Co.