Arts and Crafts

The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative arts that developed first in the United Kingdom around 1860.  It was inspired by the ideas of the designer and social reformer William Morris and the critic and philosopher John Ruskin. The movement can be understood as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. Its adherents criticized the shoddy design and materials of mass-produced consumer goods, bemoaned the loss of traditional craftsmanship, and shared a faith in the ability of art and design to reshape society. In America, the Arts and Crafts movement influenced  the furniture designs of Gustav Stickley and the art pottery of the Newcomb Pottery. Web resources here and  here.

William Morris. Strawberry Thief. Printed cotton furnishing textile. 1883. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.