Reviews for Stone: A Substantial Witness

The average rating for Stone: A Substantial Witness based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-12-16 00:00:00 Paul Ondo Starting with its key ideologues, John Ruskin and William Morris, Pamela Todd weaves (!) together an extraordinarily accessible and gorgeously illustrated history of the late nineteenth century Arts and Crafts Movement, both overseas and in the States. The motto here is a return to simplicity, in part a reaction to the uninspired sprawl of industrial growth, defined by three cornerstone purposes: 1.) to handcraft beautiful objects (though machines played a role for many A & C artisans), 2.) to match form with function, nothing extraneous, and 3.) to use only local materials. More than a motto really, this tri-standard of craftsmanship was applied to all facets of social architecture. Artists to whom this movement appealed gathered themselves into guilds, often socialist by nature, providing both work and housing to apprentices. Workers shared a sense of hope in the betterment of community through the betterment of labor. Therefore, these skilled men and women applied themselves in as many craft-related efforts as possible. They were architects, furniture builders, glass makers, book binders, landscapers, weavers, authors, and social theorists, just to name of few of their many occupations. And their contributions to both European and American culture remain standards of what humans can do for one another at their best.

Review # 2 was written on 2015-07-16 00:00:00 Mike D Wiethorn Beautiful and well researched book about the Arts and Crafts movement 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆