Arts & Crafts Movement

William Morris Wallpaper

Arts and Crafts Movement

Society influences art. After the industrial revolution many homes started to become a place of protection. This reaction showed poor quality design and hence the arts and crafts movement reacted to this revolution. Over decoration and over embellishment began to take place in a lot of interiors. The movement evolved during the 1860's and 1910's and its outcome lasted till the 1930’s.

It started out in England and later spread to Europe and North America. During the 1860’s a writer and artist named William Morris encouraged the movement. The arts and crafts movement was made up of artists, architects, designers, writers and craftsmen. They joined forces to create a design inspired by nature and used a handcrafted style. The industrial revolution was craft robbing the designer, artist from it pride and skill because of the use of machinery.

These artists believed that objects that were handmade were of more superior quality than those produced by machines. Thus the art and craft movement supported these hand built art crafted goods. This movement became famous for its natural patterns, simplicity, boundless detail and lasting techniques. Medieval techniques used to build many arts and crafts objects. Their achievement was to awaken a medieval guild system through craftsmanship and to gradually produce a pride in craft.

Reference: The Arts and Crafts Movement. 2013. The Arts and Crafts Movement. [ONLINE] Available at: http://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/decart/artcraft/artcraft.htm. [Accessed 08 May 2013].