The Arts and Crafts Movement Book

Inspired by a combination of aesthetic and social ideals, the Arts and Crafts Movement emerged in England in the wake of the Industrial Revolution. Idealist like John Ruskin, the eminent art critic and social theorist, and William Morris, a designer of rare talent and scope, deplored the ugliest of mass-produced goods made from cheap materials on the assembly line. They called for an end to dehumanizing industrial conditions and a return to the standards of craftsmanship practiced by the medieval guilds, whereby a community of workers produce well-designed handmade goods for daily use and created such works of art as the Gothic cathedral. Morris was the moving power behind Ruskin's principles, attracting into the movement a host of friends, including the Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rosseti and architect Philip Webb. They focused on rediscovering the beauty of natural materials and honest craftsmanship.

This beautiful volume showcases the work of Arts and Crafts designers across the spectrum. Illustrated by more than 150 stunning photographs, it surveys an exciting chapter in the history of the decorative arts-one that is still being written today.