Unit3: Contextual & Cultural Referencing in Art & Design: THE ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT

Originated in the British Isles in the 1880s, the Arts and Crafts Movement was formed by a small group of English philosophers, artists and architects who became greatly concerned by the effects that industrialization and mass production was having on the level of design, craftsmanship and traditional skills of decorative arts. This movement may be considered perhaps the most significant of modern times and in fact, quickly spread across America and Europe before emerging finally as the Mingei (Folk Crafts) movement in Japan.

In England, the founders for this movement was theorist and critic John Ruskin (8 February 1819 – 20 January 1900) and the designer, writer and activist William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896). Ruskin studied the relationship between art, society and labour whereas Morris put Ruskin's philosophies into practice, challenging the tastes of the Victorian and the classical architectural ways, whilst also reviving the Gothic Style. The philosophy they promoted were socialism or the ‘utopian’ society, striving for good quality of life for all, including art for the people, by the people. Artists and craftsman were viewed as equals and art would be no longer regarded as greater activity. They believed that they could achieve high-quality design only when one lived in a good society like with better working conditions thus creating an interaction between art and society where one could take pride in his craftsmanship and skill. The desire was for the individuals to revive their craftsmanship producing fine and beautiful objects as opposed to the ordinary or bleak manufactured consumer goods enhancing the lives of ordinary people, and at the same time providing decent employment for the craftsman.

Snakeshead printed cotton designed by William Morris. 1876

However, many a time, these exceptional objects could only be purchased by the very rich hence the idea of ‘art for the people’ was eventually lost with only relatively few craftsman being employed making these fine pieces.

Amongst other places in the world, by the late 19th century, the Arts and Crafts ideas moved into the United States of America. Gustav Stickley (1858-1942) was the main person who started this movement in the USA. He was a furniture manufacturer and followed most of Morris’ thoughts which he later also incorporated in a magazine he launched called The Craftsman. This magazine presented articles on the theories of the Craftsman Style and included simple Craftsman style house plans and bungalow plans whereby it encouraged people to build their homes and furniture using their own hands and local material. Here we one can see the difference from the English opposition against industrialization because the machine now was not considered an ‘enemy’ but a tool to improve life, to reduce unnecessary hard work and to produce affordable objects and homes which were also useful and ornamental.