Woodworker's Journal 2009-33-3, страница 27

5 Women

A brief look at the origins of the movement and an explanation of why it continues to be relevant today.

By Ian Kirby

It's arguable that no "movement" in the history of the decorative arts had so little impact on the everyday articles — tables, chairs, textiles, silverware, crockery — used by the population at large as did the Arts and Crafts movement in England. It's equally the case that no movement has had such a resounding effect on the thinking of generations of designers and makers that came after it. Indeed, its precepts and guidelines are wholly applicable to us today in our work as small-shop furniture designers and makers, which I will explain later in the article. But to set the stage, I will briefly describe its originators, the times in which they lived and the outcome of their thinking.

Ideas Formed in Turbulent Times

Although a great many movers and shakers were involved in its development, I'm going to focus on two. The seeds of the movement were sown by the lectures and writings of John Ruskin (1819-1900), and they blossomed as a result of the lectures and writings of William Morris. Ruskin was educated at Kings College and Oxford University. He wrote some 250 papers and books, many of which were controversial. Then again, the times were controversial. Ruskin's ideas of economics and society were bound up with the conditions of the individual worker, as can be seen in this quote from his book Unto This Ixist: The false, unnatural, and destructive system is when the bad workman is allowed to offer his work at half price.

plwto reproduced with permission uf Edward Barnsley Educational Trust

Arts and Crafts icon Edward Barnsley (left), along with one of his workmen, is pictured here going through boards from a storage shed while selecting materials for a specific piece. Proper material selection became one of the three tenets of Arts and Crafts design. The workman's white apron was a universal clothing protection uniform among furniture makers.

The Three Tenets of Arts & Crafts Design

"The Design of the Piece Should Fulfill its Function and be Visually Simple."

'The Materials Shall be 'Of the Best.'"

'The Work Shall be Rightfully Constructed Using Rightful Workmanship."

and either lake the place of the good, or force him by his competition to work for an inadequate sum." As such, it's clear that his ideas were in conflict with his contemporary Adam Smith's notions of laissez-faire economics and the division of labor as he proposed in The Wealth of Nations. Ruskin's ideas had a profound effect on Morris.

Imagine the turbulent times: the steam engine had become a force in Morris's lifetime, resulting in social and working changes more radical than anything we have experienced in our own, not the least being the wrenching transformation from an agrarian society lo a manufacturing society. The agrarian society had created the crafts which men had lived by and which had changed litlle for centuries. Indeed, il took

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June 2009 Woodworker's Jou ma I