Overview of the Arts and Crafts Movement

Sep 7, 2024

Lecture Notes: Arts and Crafts Movement

Introduction

  • Art often reacts to previous movements.
  • The Arts and Crafts Movement emerged as a response to poor design during the Industrial Revolution.

The Great Exhibition (1851)

  • Held in Crystal Palace, London.
  • Conceptualized by Prince Albert to celebrate industry and technology.
  • Did not address the negative impacts of industrialization.

Criticism of Industrialization

  • Advocates criticized mass production and machine reliance.
  • Belief that industry destroyed traditional craftsmanship and pride of workers.
  • Formation of craft guilds based on medieval traditions to uphold design standards and supportive environments.

Influences on Arts and Crafts Style

  • Gothic Revival influenced arts and crafts, appreciating medieval elements.
  • A.W.M. Pugin emphasized material, structure, and function.

William Morris

  • Central figure of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
  • Influenced by John Ruskin's writings.
  • Founded a company in 1861 producing home decor including furniture and textiles.
  • Established the Kelmscott Press in 1890, producing 53 books by 1898.
  • Aimed for harmony in type and illustration, inspired by medieval designs.
  • Advocated for art to enhance ordinary people's lives, highlighting the degradation caused by machines.

Characteristics of Arts and Crafts Design

  • Simplicity in form, function, and decoration.
  • American Arts and Crafts linked to Morris's work and influenced by British designers like Charles Robert Ashby.
  • Ashby known for jewelry and silverware design in the Guild of Handicraft.
  • F.A. Boise recognized for wallpaper and textile designs featuring stylized nature motifs.

Inspiration Sources

  • Everyday domestic traditions and vernacular styles from rural Britain.
  • Focus on craftsmanship and revival of traditional techniques.
  • Nature-inspired motifs from British countryside flora and fauna.

Challenges and Limitations

  • Arts and Crafts products became expensive and accessible only to the wealthy.
  • Guilds formed with names like Guild of St. George and Art Workers Guild.

Arthur McMurdo and the Century Guild

  • Influential architect promoting craft and design.
  • Published "Hobby Horse" to promote ideals of the movement.

American Arts and Crafts Movement

  • Gustav Stickley aimed to create affordable furniture for the middle class.
  • Used factory methods for mass production while maintaining craftsmanship.
  • The American style was rectilinear and simple, referred to as mission style, influenced by Southwest architecture.

Key Figures in American Arts and Crafts

  • Charles and Henry Greene combined Spanish and Native American architectural elements.
  • Elbert Hubbard inspired by Morris, established Roycroft Press in New York.
  • Roycroft developed a community of craftspeople.

Decline of the Arts and Crafts Movement

  • Opposition to modern production methods hindered progress.
  • The socialist ideal of affordable handcrafted designs for all failed due to high production costs.
  • The movement's focus on the past ultimately led to its downfall.