The Bottom Line
This is a beautifully illustrated, coffee table quality, paperback book offering a well-written,comprehensive study of the British Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society from 1888 to 1916.
Originally published in 1988, this book was updated in 2005.
Pros
- Gorgeous color plates
- Details the historical background of the arts and crafts movement
- Comprehensive catelogue of arts and crafts designers
Cons
- Only covers British textiles
- Of the 153 illustrations only 50 are in color
Description
- Chapter One - The Artistic and Industrial Background
- Chapter Two - The Evolution of a Style
- Chapter Three - Textiles in Arts and Crafts Exhibitions
- Chapter Four - Designers, Manufacturers and Shops
- Also included is a Catalogue of Designers, Craftsmen, Institutions and Firms.
Guide Review - Textiles of the Arts and Crafts Movement
Any artist or crafter interested in textiles, the surface design of fabric or historical information about the arts and crafts movement will enjoy this book. What always initially hooks me when adding to my professional library is the quality of the images in the book.
On that score, this book doesn't disappoint. Beautiful color plates provide ideas for block printing or hand printed fabrics or wallpaper. My particular favorite (plate 117) is a richly hued green and blue design with poppy-like flowers and leaves resembling artichokes. Adding further interest to the design is the fact that the stems of the flowers are reminiscent of Celtic knots although the fabric knots have loose ends.
Looking at the range of colors, it is amazing when you realize these tones were achieved without the use of today’s modern dyes. Plate 120, Lindsay Butterfield’s ‘Hydrangea’ watercolor design has a legend with swatches showing the eight colors used in the design. Also noted is the fact that the cotton fabric was roller-printed.
The author, Linda Parry, is a member of the staff of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which is the source of many of the illustrations in this book. Parry provides a fascinating look at the inner workings of the Arts and Crafts Society from 1888 through 1916. The six original aims of the Society are included in the Introduction. Although the aims were written in the 19th century, they are as fresh today as they were then. For example, ‘to raise the status of both craftsman and artist’ and ‘to revive the desire for beauty in the things of everyday use’.
Our customers are those that understand the value of hand-crafted items versus mass produced. If you are interested in our predecessors in the British textile movement, this is definitely a book that you’ll pick up repeatedly for both reference and artist inspiration.
