Arts and Crafts movement

From ArticleWorld

The Arts and Crafts movement flourished in Europe from 1880 to 1910. Inspired by the works of John Ruskin, The Arts and Crafts movement influenced British decorative arts, cabinetmaking, architecture, and crafts. In America, the movement peaked from 1910 to 1925.

Foundation

The Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction to the mass-produced and apathetic art of the Industrial Revolution, which valued efficiency. As part of the Art and Crafts movement, however, artisans involved themselves in every aspect of the art’s progress. For example, a furniture maker would fashion and assemble the legs, back, and seat of a chair, instead of using an assembly line – as the movement was held socialist undertones and opposed the division of labor.

The movement produced rustic pieces, which have come to be known as a cottage-look. Some pieces were intentionally left unfinished to add to the appeal.

Famous artisans

The Arts and Crafts movement flourished in Europe from 1880 to 1910. Inspired by the works of John Ruskin, The Arts and Crafts movement influenced British decorative arts, cabinetmaking, architecture, and crafts. Followers of the movement included artisans such as William Morris, Charles Robert Ashbee, Walter Crane, Christopher Dresser, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, T.J. Cobden Sanderson, Phoebe Anna Traquair, and Edwin Lutyens. The famous cottage garden designs from William Robinson and Gertrude Jekyll were also part of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Continued influence

In Europe, the Arts and Crafts movement gave birth to the Art Nouveau and Modernism movements, driving artists like Henry van de Velde and followers of the Wiener Werkstaette Style to value basic materials.

In America, the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement is still apparent in the popularity of studio pottery and craftsmen styles of woodwork. The architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, a child of the reformist movement, is still valued in American architecture.