William Morris
The founder of Arts and Crafts Movement.
Summary • William Morris (1834-1896) • 'The Diligent Study of Nature' • The Medieval Crafts Guilds • Patterns from Nature • The Kelmscott Press • The Arts and Crafts Movement • The Crafts Guilds • Influence on Art Education • The Decline of Arts and Crafts
William Morris (1834-1896)
An artist, designer, printer, typographer, bookbinder, craftsman, poet and writer.
Leading member of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
The inspiration: nature because he thought that nature was the perfect example of God’s creation. Morris encouraged artists to look to the past for their inspiration. Morris' solution was for a return to the values of the Gothic art of the middle Ages.
‘The Diligen t Study of Nature '
The medieval crafts guilds were groups of artists, architects, and craftsmen who formed an alliance to maintain high standards of workmanship, regulate trade and competition, and protect the secrets of their crafts.
The Medieval CrafTs Guilds
“Morris took the natural forms that he found outside in the woods and meadows and used them to decorate the inside of our homes.�
Patterns from Nature
William Morris was a great pattern designer, actually his pattern designs are still commercially available as wallpapers and textiles these days. He was inspired by natural forms and historical styles.
His first attemp at a wallpaper design was “Trellis�, based on roses growing in tha garden at the Red House. This pattern shows his medieval influence. Birds and insects were later added to it by Philip Webb. 'Trellis', 1862 (wallpaper design)
Patterns from Nature
The Kelmscott Press Morris found the Kelmscott Press in 1891 and produced high quality hand-printed books, to be seen as art objects. He designed and cut the typefaces, ornamental borders and title pages which were based on the medieval style. The Kelmscott Press was never a financial success, because their books were too expensive. Morris ran it simply for pleasure. 'Typefaces', 1897 (printed page)
Influence on Art Education
• The architect and theorist, W. R. Lethaby, the first Professor of Design at the RCA, became the original director and cofounder of the London Central School of Arts and Crafts. This integration of design with art education is one of the great legacies of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
The Decline of Arts and Crafts
• The Arts and Crafts Movement was essentially flawed. Their opposition to modern methods of production and the tendency to look back to the medieval world, rather than forward to a progressive era of complete mechanization.
• Legacy of the Arts and Crafts movement was their understanding of the relationship between design and our quality of life.
The Arts and Crafts Movement • The Arts and Crafts Movement (1850-1900) was a reaction against the Industrial Revolution. The development of the steam engine by James Watt in 1765 led to the mechanization of industry, agriculture and transportation and changed the life of the working man in Britain.
The Crafts Guilds
• The Arts and Crafts Movement formed into various crafts guilds to try to recreate the dignified working environment that existed in the medieval crafts guilds. They gave themselves names such as the Century Guild, the Guild of Saint George, the Art Workers Guild and the Guild of Handicraft.
University Autonomous of Sinaloa
Faculty of Architecture
Comprehension of Architectural Documents in English Arch. Claudia Aispuro Espinoza
Members: • Beltran Castillo Maria Fernanda • Gaytan Ayala Maria Alejandra
• Higuera Sepulveda Francisco Octavio • Romero Mendez Mariana
Class 4-2