Art and Craft Movement

The art and craft movement included artists, architects, designers, craftsman and writers. It's philosophy was highly influenced by Ruskin's thoughts. Such movement was led by the artist and writer William Morris (during the 1860's).

This international design movement developed in the British Isles and then was speed to Europe and America. It has been sad to be essentially anti-industrial that is a reaction against the Industrial Revolution with the introduction of the steam engine, the life of the working man in Britain, changed. Most of the people believed that their life's had changed for the worst because the cities and towns in which they lived grow to accommodate other people looking for employment.

Members of the art and craft movement believed that handmade objects were better then those made by machines. They were also convinced that this decline of such artistic standards may bring the nation's social decline. To express more beauty in craft, some items were left slightly unfinished which eventually results in a rustic and robust effect.

Handmade wallpaper designed by William Morris
for "Trellis" in 1862 

Reference

NS-Allen, 2010. How the Industrial Revolution spawned the Art and Craft Movement. [online] Available at : <http://www.designhistory.org/Arts_Crafts_pages/IndustrialRevolution.html> [Accessed 10 October 2013].

Chilvers, I., 2003. Dictionary of Art and Artist. 3d ed. London: Oxford University Press: AL.