Study Guide on English Arts & Crafts and Key Figures

English Arts & Crafts

Overview of Key Figures and Contributions

• William Morris (1834-1896)

  • Significant figure in the Arts and Crafts movement.

  • Quote:

  • "Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

  • Notable Works:

  • Red House, Bexley Heath (1861)

  • Strawberry Thief (Woven design, Morris & Co. London 1883)

  • St. George Cabinet (Designed by Philip Webb and painted by William Morris)

Red House, Bexley Heath, Kent

• Architect: Philip Webb

• Date of Construction: 1861

• Layout:

  • Ground Floor Includes:

  • Dining Room

  • Lavatory

  • Pantry

  • Hall

  • Sitting Room

  • Kitchen

  • First Floor Includes:

  • Digital framework of rooms illustrating structure:

    • Bedrooms

    • Maid's Bedroom

    • Studio

• Dimensions:

  • Ground floor and first-floor dimensions provided in meters (m):

  • Example: 10m = approximately 32.8 feet

The Vicarage, Bedford Park, Middlesex

• Architect: Edward John May

• Date of Construction: 1880

• Ground Plan Includes:

  • Dining Room

  • Study

  • Kitchen

  • Lavatory

  • Private House layout exemplifying Arts and Crafts principles

Charles Robert Ashbee (1863-1942)

• Multifaceted designer embodying the Arts and Crafts ideal as a total designer.

• Contributions:

  • Designing almost every element in his spaces including furniture, textiles, and decorations.

  • Focused on the Gesamtkunstwerk ideal (total work of art).

• Notable Projects:

  • Commission for the Ducal Palace at Darmstadt by Grand Duke Ernst Louis of Hesse.

• Beliefs:

  • Advocated for the Utopian Socialist ideals espoused by John Ruskin and William Morris.

  • Authored two Utopian novels inspired by Morris.

• Social Contributions:

  • Worked to alleviate poverty and improve surrounding conditions, notably through the Guild School established in response to social issues like Jack the Ripper.

  • Actively engaged in preservation efforts, starting the Survey of London project to document historical monuments.

• Positions:

  • Building and planning official in Jerusalem (1918-1923).

• Guild of Handicraft: Founded in London (1888-1902); later moved to Chipping Camden (1902-1907).

  • Mission Statement:

  • “Seek not only to set a higher standard of craftsmanship, but at the same time, and in so doing, to protect the status of the craftsman… steer a mean between the independence of the artist and the purely commercial workman.”

Notable Works by Charles Robert Ashbee

• The Norman Chapel

  • Location: Broad Common, Gloucester

  • Year Reconstructed: 1907

• Cottage for Guild of Handicraft

  • Location: Chipping Camden, England

  • Year Established: 1902

• Furniture and Decorative Arts by Ashbee:

  • Peac Piano (Designed for Jane Ashbee, decorated by Walter Taylor, 1898-1900)

  • Writing Desk (Escritoire; materials: Oak, Poplar, Ebony, Leather; Falcon Design by C. F. A. Voysey, 1900)

  • Glass Decanter produced by the Guild (Designed by Ashbee, 1901)

  • Silver Coffee Pot (Materials: Silver, Ivory; 1905-1906)

  • Peacock Pendant (Materials: Silver, Turquoise, Enamel; 1913)

Charles F. A. Voysey (1857-1941)

• Title/Architectural Location:

  • 14 South Parade, Bedford Park (1891)

• Design Philosophy: Strong emphasis on craftsmanship and integration of design elements.

Projects by C. F. A. Voysey

• Broadleys

  • Location: Lake Windermere, Cumbria

  • Year: 1898

  • Details:

  • First Floor Plan (including dimensions of rooms)

• The Orchard

  • Location: Chorleywood, Hertfordshire

  • Year: 1899

Other Notable Projects

• Blackwell

  • Architect: MacKay Hugh Baillie Scott

  • Location: Bowness-upon-Windermere, Cumbria

  • Year: 1898-1900

• Wightwick Manor

  • Architect: Edward Ould

  • Location: Wolverhampton, UK

  • Years Active: 1887-1893

The Glasgow School of Art

• Key Figures:

  • Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Four.

  • Construction Years: 1896-1909

• Details:

  • East Wing: Built (1896-1899)

  • West Wing: Built (1907-1909)

  • Library, Drafting Room, Director's Chamber parts of the structure exemplifying Arts and Crafts aesthetics.

Exhibition at Vienna Secession

• Participants: C. R and Margaret Mackintosh

• Year: 1900

House for an Art Lover

• Competition Drawings: 1900-1901

• Design Elements:

  • Comparative Elevations including Living Room, Music Room, Dining Room.

• Constructed Copy: 1990-1992

Catherine “Kitty” Cranston (1849-1934)

• Contributions: Known for the Buchanan Street Tea Rooms designed by C. R. Mackintosh in Glasgow, 1896.

• Collaborations: Margaret MacDonald involved in decorations and design aspects.

Blackie House (Hill House)

• Architect: C. R. Mackintosh

• Location: Helensburgh, Scotland

• Years: 1902-1906

• Design Details: Emphasizing integrated architectural style consistent with Arts and Crafts ideals.