arts and crafts movement1

8/8/2019 Arts and Crafts Movement1

1/12

In the 1860s, the Arts and Crafts style developed as a reaction to the

growing industrialisation of Victorian Britain. The people involved

believed in the equality of all the arts, and the importance and

pleasure of work (1). William Morris (1834-1896), and other socialist

designers such as Walter Crane (1845-1915), and Charles Robert Ashbee

(1863-1942), looked forward to a future society of free craftspeople. Their

notions of good design was linked to their notions of a good society.

This was a vision of a society in which the worker was not brutalized by

the working conditions found in factories, but rather could take pride in

his craftsmanship and skill. The rise of a consumer class coincided with

the rise of manufactured consumer goods. In this period, manufactured

goods were often poor in design and quality (2). The style, and the

appearance of it, resulted from the principles involved in the making of

the objects. Such ideals had affected the design, and the

manufacturing of all the decorative arts in Britain by the end of the

century (3). One of the most important principles of the Arts and Crafts

style was to preserve, and emphasize the natural qualities of the

materials used to make objects. One of the hallmarks was simple

form. The actual constructions of the object was often exposed, there

was no extravagant or superfluous decoration. One of the most

important sources of Arts and Crafts motifs was nature. British

countryside provided the main inspiration for the movement; both

vernacular and domestic traditions played a big role. Workshops in


2/12

rural areas revived old techniques by many of those involved (1). Arts

and Crafts, (the term), does not define an artistic style such as Art

Nouveau or Art Deco; the term refers more to a set of attitudes and

principles in the mind of the artist or craftsman, which involve not only

art but also society and the interaction between the two (4).

Arts & Crafts house plans emphasized integration of the house and its

environment, using indigenous materials and open visual and physical

passage between interior and exterior. Porches, terraces, and porte-

cocheres were key to this merging of house and nature. Floor plans

were asymmetrical and open, often blending living rooms, dining

rooms and reception areas into a flow of spaces. Proportion and scale,

along with the interplay between linear movement and the spacious

qualities of light played an integral role in creating balance and

harmony within the room (5). The major change of Arts and Crafts

designers was the elimination of the parlour in favour of a new room,

the "living-room." Unlike the Victorians, Arts and Crafts reformers saw

no need for formal entertainment spaces separate from family spaces.

The living room was a multi-purpose space; it was furnished with items

that promoted comfort, not formality (6).

As the entrance, and welcoming space of the house, doors and porches


3/12

played an important role in the Arts & Crafts movement. Medieval

forms often of plain plank construction, fitted with elaborate hinges

and latches, rather than knobs, inspired early Arts & Crafts doors. The

door openings were often stone dressed. Later in the movement,

painted motifs became popular, either freehand or stencilled, and were

supported visually by the use of stained glass (5).

The British movement focused on the richly detailed gothic style (9).

A 3-part division of the wall into dado, field and frieze was usually

employed (8). High-quality wood was left bare or, if painted, usually

whitewash, cream, sage green or earthy tones.Top parts of walls was

often painted or covered with wallpaper. A high picture rail or plate

shelf often divided walls. Wainscoting or tongue-and-groove boards

covered the lower part (7). Full panelling on walls was used on

occasion, and stencilled friezes were also favoured, with the design of

fine wallpapers, lead by Morris and Company of London. Early papers

boasted floral and medieval designs while the later period would take

on Japanese influences. Tapestry hangings were widely used in late

interiors. In the early period, remaining true to medieval designs was

pre-eminent. Treatments included chamfered beams, designed plaster

ceilings, with occasional painting and gilding. Decoration that

incorporated painted stencilling was desirable, but often prohibited by


4/12

the cost, ceiling papers, often embossed, became much more

common. In the later periods, intricate, prefabricated plasterwork was

frequently used (8). The fireplace, no longer needed to heat rooms,

remained as an architectural element, the mantelpiece was carved,

often with a motto above it (6).

Being true to this movement, it was generally considered that only

wood or stone was acceptable for floors (8).The definitive Arts and

Crafts floor was wooden parquet or polished boards (7). Later on,

heavy wool rugs covering floors from wall to wall, to keep rooms warm

were removed; the wooden floors were instead decorated with

occasional rugs (6). Carpets were regularly used, and though authentic

Indian, Turkish and Persian carpets were favoured, often machine-

manufactured carpets were the norm (8). Morris designed numerous

carpets for machine production in series (10). Stone flagging or earth-

colour ceramic tiles covered entrance halls. Easy-to-clean tiles with

plain colours or period patterns were preferred in bathrooms (7).

Sash windows were commonly used; often incorporating leaded glass

as a key detail. Elongated window proportions exemplified this style

and one would commonly see the pairing of an upper sash bearing

small rectangular panes with a tall, single-paned lower sash. The

importance placed on light and air was reflected in the large window


5/12

areas of later Arts & Crafts houses, large groupings of windows were

necessary to bring in light (5). Central heating meant that heavy

draperies meant to hold in heat between rooms and at windows were

no longer necessary, the traverse rod was invented in 1905 to draw

back the drapes and let in the outside (6). Very sheer and plain fabrics

were used as curtain fabric to let in light (7). Lighting blended old and

new designs around 1900. A huge central chandelier was still being

used, even with the introduction of electricity, which facilitated the use

of smaller lamps throughout rooms, plain wall sconces were popular.

Common materials include brass, wrought iron and hammered copper.

Popular shades were stained glass and Vaseline glass with a yellowish-

green glow. Shapes resembled lanterns or corona, a medieval style

using branched lights. . Lighting was beautiful and useful, especially

Louis Comfort Tiffany's stained-glass lamps and Dick Van Erp's

hammered copper lamps (7).

A strong design element of the Arts & Crafts movement was the

regular use of built-in furniture. It was practical and minimized the

clutter that was common in the Victorian era (8). Built-in bookcases

and benches were practical and ensured that the house would not be

completely reliant on furniture from outside (11). Arts and Crafts

furniture is well constructed, practical and lovely in its simplicity of

form and decoration. Usually made of oak, pieces are rectangular and


6/12

made with pegged joints, panelling and boarding without staining and

with little ornamentation. Upright shapes, straight backs, sturdy

seating and broad arms characterize the style. Morris & Co., founded

by William Morris, constructed Gothic pieces featuring carving, inlays

or panels with hand-painted medieval scenes. Distinctive Morris & Co.

pieces include rush-seated chairs and settees and the Morris chair with

a simple frame and upholstered arm rests, seat and back (7).

Electricity in homes led to different furniture placement. There was no

need for a central table with chairs around it in order to read by a

single lamp, instead, furniture were pushed back against the walls and

individual lamps would be placed on side tables (6).The furniture

companies Heals in London and Shapland and Petter in Barnstaple

designed and manufactured superb items of furniture some of which

recognised as classics of design (12).

Fabrics in warm hues deep red, mossy green, indigo and ochre

contrast with neutral tones of cream, ivory and stone (7). Nature was

an important source of Arts and Crafts motifs. The flora and fauna of

the British countryside inspired the patterns used (13). Flattened

patterns of wild and country flowers, plus medieval motifs in earthy

vegetable colours define Arts and Crafts textiles as created by

movement founder William Morris. Designs by Morris and colleagues

remain in production today. Classics include "Willow," "Vine" and


7/12

"Strawberry Thief." Materials include cotton chintzes, silk, wool, linen,

damask, velvet and dark leather. Besides teaching himself dye

techniques, Morris also mastered carpet knotting and tapestry

weaving. Restraint and tailored shapes characterize the use of such

fabrics as upholstery or covers (7).

The desire for openness and light, as well for its medieval feel,

stimulated the use of stained glass in the Arts & Crafts environment.

Doors, windows, wall partitions to lamp shades were all treated with

this colourful material. With the development of the electric bulb,

lighting took on a new meaning within this period. Glass in combination

with fine ironwork resulted in innovative ways to accent - as well as

provide functional light for - the indoor environment (8). Accessories

were simple and limited to as few as possible in an Arts and Crafts

home. Wall treatments were key decorative elements of the Arts and

Crafts style. Those of metalwork had a hand-beaten, medieval feel of

pewter, iron, copper and bronze. Handcrafted glazed ceramics or

earthenware was often painted with pastoral scenes (7). Simple forms

were one of the hallmarks of the Arts and Crafts style. There was no

extravagant or superfluous decoration and the actual construction of

the object was often exposed (14).

A reaction to Victorian opulence and the increasingly common mass-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_architecture


8/12

produced housing elements, the style incorporated clean lines, sturdy

structure, and natural materials (15). This was in contrast to work

environments such as the French Manufactories, where everything was

oriented towards the fastest production possible. (For example, one

person or team would handle all the legs of a piece of furniture,

another all the panels, another assembled the parts and yet another

painted and varnished or handled other finishing work, all according to

a plan laid out by a furniture designer who would never actually work

on the item during its creation.) The Arts and Crafts movement sought

to reunite what had been ripped asunder in the nature of human work,

having the designer work with his hands at every step of creation.

Some of the most famous apostles of the movement, such as Morris,

were more than willing to design products for machine production,

when this did not involve the wretched division of labour and loss of

craft talent, which they denounced (16). Though the spontaneous

personality of the designer became more central than the historical

"style" of a design, certain tendencies stood out: reformist neo-gothic

influences, rustic and cottage-like surfaces, repeating designs, vertical

and elongated forms. In order to express the beauty inherent in craft,

some products were deliberately left slightly unfinished, resulting in a

certain rustic and robust effect. There were also socialist undertones to

this movement, in that another primary aim was for craftspeople to

derive satisfaction from what they did. This satisfaction, the


9/12

proponents of this movement felt, was totally denied in the

industrialised processes inherent in compartmentalised machine

production (17). Additionally, as the interpretation and validation of art

is frequently a matter of context, an audience may perceive crafted

objects as art objects when these objects are viewed within an art

context, such as in a museum or in a position of prominence in one's

home (18). The conflict between quality production and 'demo' design,

and the attempt to reconcile the two, dominated design debate at the

turn of the last century (10). Emphasis on the originality of the

artist/craftsman led to the new design concepts of the Art Deco

movement of the 1930s (15).

1- http://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/wmorris.html

2- http://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/decart/artcraft/artcraft.htm

3- http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styl

es/Style09a/index.html

4- http://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/ideas.html
http://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/wmorris.htmlhttp://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/wmorris.htmlhttp://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/decart/artcraft/artcraft.htmhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/index.htmlhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/index.htmlhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/index.htmlhttp://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/ideas.htmlhttp://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/ideas.htmlhttp://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/wmorris.htmlhttp://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/decart/artcraft/artcraft.htmhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/index.htmlhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/index.htmlhttp://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/ideas.html


10/12

5- http://www.artsparx.com/artsandcrafts.asp

6- http://www.utoledo.edu/library/canaday/Exhibits/artsandcrafts/int

erior.html

7- http://www.move.com/home-garden/decorate/style-guide/arts-

and-crafts.aspx

8- http://artsparx.com/acstyle.asp

9- http://www.theseagypsy.com/poplar/arts_and_crafts_movement.

htm

10-http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Arts_and_Crafts_Mov

ement

11-http://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-

tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Gustav_Stickley.htm

12-http://www.artscrafts.org.uk/branches/intro.html

13-http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styl
http://www.artsparx.com/artsandcrafts.asphttp://www.utoledo.edu/library/canaday/Exhibits/artsandcrafts/interior.htmlhttp://www.utoledo.edu/library/canaday/Exhibits/artsandcrafts/interior.htmlhttp://www.move.com/home-garden/decorate/style-guide/arts-and-crafts.aspxhttp://www.move.com/home-garden/decorate/style-guide/arts-and-crafts.aspxhttp://artsparx.com/acstyle.asphttp://www.theseagypsy.com/poplar/arts_and_crafts_movement.htmhttp://www.theseagypsy.com/poplar/arts_and_crafts_movement.htmhttp://www.theseagypsy.com/poplar/arts_and_crafts_movement.htmhttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Arts_and_Crafts_Movementhttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Arts_and_Crafts_Movementhttp://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Gustav_Stickley.htmhttp://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Gustav_Stickley.htmhttp://www.artscrafts.org.uk/branches/intro.htmlhttp://www.artscrafts.org.uk/branches/intro.htmlhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/objects/object3_2.htmlhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/objects/object3_2.htmlhttp://www.artsparx.com/artsandcrafts.asphttp://www.utoledo.edu/library/canaday/Exhibits/artsandcrafts/interior.htmlhttp://www.utoledo.edu/library/canaday/Exhibits/artsandcrafts/interior.htmlhttp://www.move.com/home-garden/decorate/style-guide/arts-and-crafts.aspxhttp://www.move.com/home-garden/decorate/style-guide/arts-and-crafts.aspxhttp://artsparx.com/acstyle.asphttp://www.theseagypsy.com/poplar/arts_and_crafts_movement.htmhttp://www.theseagypsy.com/poplar/arts_and_crafts_movement.htmhttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Arts_and_Crafts_Movementhttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Arts_and_Crafts_Movementhttp://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Gustav_Stickley.htmhttp://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Gustav_Stickley.htmhttp://www.artscrafts.org.uk/branches/intro.htmlhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/objects/object3_2.html


11/12

es/Style09a/objects/object3_2.html

14- http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/

bg_styles/Style09a/obj

ects/object2_1.html

15-http://www.retrohomes.org/info_page.htm

16-http://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-

tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Arts_and_Crafts_Movement.htm

17-http://www.theseagypsy.com/arts_and_crafts_movement.htm

18- http://www.fiber-

images.com/Free_Things/What_Is/free_article_what_is_arts_and_c

rafts.html
http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/objects/object3_2.htmlhttp://www.retrohomes.org/info_page.htmhttp://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Arts_and_Crafts_Movement.htmhttp://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Arts_and_Crafts_Movement.htmhttp://www.theseagypsy.com/arts_and_crafts_movement.htmhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/bg_styles/Style09a/objects/object3_2.htmlhttp://www.retrohomes.org/info_page.htmhttp://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Arts_and_Crafts_Movement.htmhttp://www.artsandcraftstile.com/art-tile/Arts_&_Crafts_History/Arts_and_Crafts_Movement.htmhttp://www.theseagypsy.com/arts_and_crafts_movement.htm


12/12

arts and crafts movement1

Documents