The Arts & Crafts Movement

The arts & crafts movement was a British, Canadian, American and American aesthetic movement occuring in the last years of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century. Inspired by the writer John Ruskin who idolized craftsmen and how they would make something so authentic and pure with there own two hands with no machines used in the process.

The arts & crafts movement was a reformist movement which brought about architecture, decorative arts and cabinet arts. The movement also influenced likes of William Morris, Frank Lloyde Wright and also The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood which was also part of the post-impressionism movement.

William Morris was an English architect, furniture, textile designer and also a writer, he was also part of The Pre-Rapaelite Brotherhood. Morris wrote as well as published his own works, his most famous book is called 'The Defence Of Guenevere And Other Poems" and his other book was called "The Earthly Paradise". Although Morris was part of the Pre-Rapaelites in his college years he was greatly influenced by them before he joined their brotherhood, he was also in fluenced by John Ruskin, Thomas Marloy and by Lord Alfred Tennyson. Morris letter started to develop his philosophy of rejecting industry manufactured decorative art he won't art to be hand made.

Here are two images of his fabaric works:

This First image is of Morris's 'Cabbage and vine Tapestry' this was one of the first tapaestries woven at kelmscott house in the summer of 1879.

This is his fabric woven design, it was a 'Tulip and Willow' design it was printed in 1873.

As you can see from the William Morris ark works he put in a lot of detail and time into his works.