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Arts and Crafts Movement
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This paper discusses the Arts and Crafts movement of the late th century in ...... More...
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Paper Abstract:
This paper discusses the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century in Britain, specifically focusing on the design aesthetic reforms that developed among two factions in the movement – the handcrafted school led by William Morris and that favoring machine-aided design championed by the aesthetic of Christopher Dresser. Paper includes an appendix of images of the designs of both artisans.
Paper Introduction:
Arts Crafts Movement Introduction The Arts and Crafts movement represented a reaction against theincreasing industrialization of art and design in the late th century Two of the leading proponents of the Arts and Crafts movement were JohnRuskin and William Morris In writing of the Arts and Crafts ExhibitionSociety founded by like-minded arts and crafts artisans Hamilton p stated that it was the offshoot of work done by John Ruskin and WilliamMorris Ruskin an English writer argued that contemporary methods ofmass production were
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Hamilton (p. Conclusion In contemporary times the influence of both Morris and Dresser arestill readily apparent. As Hamilton (174)has commented, "Wright's insistence on exploring and exposing the nature ofhis materials seems to have owed as much to his almost oriental sensitivityto natural substances as it did to William Morris and the Arts and CraftsMovement." Despite his influence, Morris' Arts and Crafts movementideology set off a strong and growing reaction or faction within themovement that did not believe that machines signaled the death knell ofdesign aesthetic. The work of Frank Lloyd Wright, with its combinationof Orientalism and arts and crafts style, is reminiscent of some of Morris'work and definitely shows his influence on the designer. Yet others in the movement like Christopher Dresser wouldembrace manufacturing and technology to create a unique Arts and Craftsaesthetic compared to Morris'. Though Morris viewed himself as a Socialist and social reformer, theoutput of Arts and Crafts by the hand-crafted, workshop advocates of designremoved the possibility of enjoying fine arts and crafts from the reach oraffordability of most people. As one historian maintains, "At a time when thefast-expanding Victorian middle classes were enthusiastically furnishingtheir homes, Dresser designed all the effects necessary for the familytable" (Dresser 2). 18 November 2 7. Dresser's works are highly stylish and artistically pleasing in anaesthetic framework, but they also rely heavily on harnessing the abilitiesof commercial manufacturing processes and technologies. http://19thc- artworldwide.org/autumn_ 5/reviews/busc.shtml, 1-1 ."Style Guide: William Morris." British Gallery, 2 7. In one sense, Dresser's designs and those of others inthe Arts and Crafts movement reduced design to simple geometric forms inreaction to the mixture of design forms and ornate influences typical indesign prior to the movement. Speaking to the Royal Society of Arts in the 187 s, Dresserexplained his creative approach to the ornamentation he was closelyassociated with: "True ornamentation is of purely mental origin, andconsists of symbolized imagination only...Ornamentation is even a higherart than that practiced by the pictorial artist, as it is of wholly mentalorigin" (Dresser 1). Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1991."Christopher Dresser." British Design Museum. As onehistorian notes, "Dresser was famous for his championship of industrialdesign as a force for furnishing ordinary people with well-made, efficientand engaging goods, like the hundreds of objects he had designed astextiles, wall coverings, ceramics, glassware and metalware" (Dresser 1).Dresser's design shows the more contemporary influence of machine-aidedmanufacturing, with his designs offering a more contemporary look thanMorris' because of their machine-aided styling which resembled today's useof computer-aided-design (CAD). As one art critic explains,"Dresser's commercial success is all the more remarkable as he alsopioneered what we now recognize as the spruce, simple modern aesthetic"(Dresser 1). Art and Engagement. One drawback of this arts and crafts aesthetic isthat art was very costly and the products produced by this aesthetic weretypically affordable only to the wealthy. AsBerleant (42) notes, over the past half century, "industrial technology hasradically altered the methods and objects of the arts, while social andperceptual changes in the modern world have overridden the conventionalseparation among the component factors in aesthetic experience." Today'scomputer-aided-design technologies permit greater flexibility and scope indesign. Dresser was also a champion of social reformbut his use of industrial methods of production and machine manufacturinghelped make fine arts and crafts affordable for most people. It was this debate characterized by Morris and Dresser that woulddominate design debate in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuriesin both Europe and America. Many wallpapers designed by Morris areavailable today. An 1899 issue ofStudio magazine viewed Dresser as "perhaps the greatest of commercialdesigners, imposing his fantasy and invention upon the ordinary output ofBritish industry" (Dresser 1). 53) states that this idea - of a return to craft-based,if mass-produced, furniture and textile design - was "not destined toeffect a truly decorative modern style." This analysis will discuss theviews of Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement with those of ChristopherDresser, a designer who "championed design reform in 19th century Britainwhile embracing modern manufacturing" (Christopher 1). Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 196 .Livingstone, Karen, and Perry, Linda, Eds. As such, Dresser's more modern and contemporary arts and craftsdesigns that embrace modern technologies seem more influential incontemporary art and design or at least more in keeping with a moderndesign aesthetic.Images One: William Morris|[pic] ||'Acanthus' wallpaper designed by ||William Morris | |[pic] ||'Artichoke' hanging designed by ||William Morris | Two: Christopher Dresser[pic]Watering Can, 1876Christopher DresserManufactured by Richard Perry, Son & Company[pic]Toast Rack, c.1879Christopher DresserManufactured by James Dixon & SonsPhotography © 2 1 Michael Whiteway[pic]Teapot, c.188 Christopher DresserManufactured by James Dixon & SonsPhotography © 2 1 Michael Whiteway[pic]Toast Rack, 1881Christopher DresserManufactured by Hukin & HeathPhotography © 2 1 Michael Whiteway[pic]Sea Urchin Vessel, 1879-1882Christopher DresserManufactured by Linthorpe Art Pottery[pic]Chair, 188 -83Christopher DresserManufactured by Chubb & Co. International Arts & Crafts. This is evidentin the unique design of many of his common household items, from toastholders to steam kettles. This style of design is commonly in use today but wasconsidered highly radical during Dressler's era. Arts & Crafts Movement Introduction The Arts and Crafts movement represented a reaction against theincreasing industrialization of art and design in the late 19th century.Two of the leading proponents of the Arts and Crafts movement were JohnRuskin and William Morris. A large part of Dresser's appeal was his ability to create abstractinterpretations of natural forms or historical patterns. Dresser's work was more influential in influencing contemporarydesign than Morris' primarily because of an increased use of technology andmachines to help design a wide range of decorative objects for the home.Morris' designs illustrate a sleek and stylish design linked tocontemporary or modern styling. London: V&A Publications, 2 5. Morris' ideology and design aesthetic can beviewed in the contemporary offerings of companies like Harvest House andStickley Furniture, which still sell Arts and Crafts style pieces. Dresser's appealing and popular designs were a favoritewith European consumers. 52)stated that it was the offshoot of work done by John Ruskin and WilliamMorris. William Morriswas one of the most influential designers in Britain and his first companyin the arts and crafts vein produced a varied range of decorative objectsmeant for the home, like furniture, fabrics, stained glass and especiallywallpapers (See Image One). http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british _galleries/bg_styles/Style 9a/people/people_home.html, 1-2. Despite being commercially successful,Morris' artistic aesthetic that incorporated machine manufacture alsohelped establish a new aesthetic in design. At the same time the industrial revolution produced newmethods of manufacturing and new technologies, it also spurred economicgrowth among the middle-classes and provided individuals with greaterdisposable income. Ruskin, an English writer, argued that contemporary methods ofmass production were intellectually and spiritually degrading; Morris putthis idea into practice, founding workshops for mass production thatnevertheless employed medieval designs based on the work of skilledcraftsmen, including woodcarvers and woodworkers. 18 November 2 7. for the Art Furnishers' AlliancePhotography © Victoria and Albert Museum[pic]Tall Split Handle Jug, 1879-1889Christopher DresserManufactured by Linthorpe Art PotteryWorks Cited"Arts & Crafts Movement." Wikipedia, 2 7. http://www.designmuseum.org/design/ christopher-dresser, 1-4.Hamilton, George H. Dresser was able to take advantage of the industrial revolution inanother way. 19th and 2 th Century Realistic Art. Morris' works would influence art and design aesthetics in bothEurope and the U.S. As one historian notes of the rise offactionalism within the Arts and Crafts movement, "Those who soughtcompromise between the efficiency of the machine and the skill of thecraftsman thought it a useful endeavor to seek the means through which atrue craftsman could master a machine to do his bidding, in opposition tothe reality many believed; humans had become slaves to the industrialmachine...The conflict between quality production and 'demo' design, andthe attempt to reconcile the two, dominated design debate" (Arts 2). Christopher Dresser was also influential in the arts and craftsmovement but his aesthetic embraced modern methods of industrialproduction. The machine and mass production were theantitheses or art and aesthetic to the Morris school of the Arts and Craftsmovement. A conclusion willaddress the lasting influence of these two designers in modern art anddesign. 18 November 2 7. In writing of the Arts and Crafts ExhibitionSociety (founded by like-minded arts and crafts artisans), Hamilton (p. Body According to Livingstone and Perry (1), "Arts and Crafts was one ofthe most influential, profound, and far-reaching design movements of moderntimes." A pervasive social and artistic movement, the artisans of themovement placed a high value on honest workmanship, truth in materials, and"individual hand craftsmanship" (Livingstone and Perry 1). 18 November 2 7. Despite being aided in design anddevelopment via machines, Dresser's works are far from ordinary looking. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_movement, 1-5.Berleant, Arnold. As one historian notes, "Considering the machine to be the rootcause of all repetitive and mundane evils, some of the protagonists of thismovement turned entirely away from the use of machines and towardshandcraft" (Arts 2). Christopher Dresser also championed design reform during the Artsand Crafts movement, but Dresser's ideology embraced the use of modernmanufacturing techniques to help in the design and development ofwallpaper, textiles, ceramics, glass, furniture and metalware (See ImageTwo). It was this creative reinterpretation of naturalforms and patterns that made Dresser's style so unique and appealing toconsumers. In fact, his metal toastracks made in the 188 s were viewed as racial in design during the era butare still in production today (See Image Two). 2 7. Whereas someartisans viewed machines as eliminating mundane or repetitive tasks, thoselike Morris saw them as a threat to an authentic style or genuineaesthetic. Like many in the Arts and Crafts movement, Dresser feltmachines could be used successfully to rid the artisan of mundane orrepetitive tasks. Likewise, he believed the common individual should beable to purchase fine works of an arts and crafts nature, and not just thewealthy. Leadingproponents of the movement like Morris felt it would promote social reformby turning away from the dehumanizing forces of mass production andindustrialism and toward more workshop-oriented practices. Morris was also a writer and socialist and he devoted his life toproving that art should "improve the lives of ordinary people" (Style 1).The Arts and Crafts movement was also an effort to discover an authenticand more meaningful style in reaction to the eclectic and increasinglymachine-made production of the Industrial Revolution.
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