How to understand the influence and significance of British arts and crafts movement in the history of western art design?

Arts and Crafts Movement (The Arts & amp； Crafts movement) is a design improvement movement that originated in Britain in the second half of19th century. It was influenced by art critic john ruskin, architect a·w· Putin and others, and referred to the guild system in the Middle Ages. The exercise time is about 1859 to 19 10 years. Named after the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society established by 1888.

Its cause is the design improvement movement for decorative arts, furniture, indoor products, architecture, etc. Because the mass production of the industrial revolution has brought down the design level. At that time, mass production and industrialization were in the ascendant, and the arts and crafts movement was intended to resist this trend and rebuild the value of handicrafts. The main members are William Morris, Charles Renee mackiniosh, C.F.A. Voysey and the Pre-Raphael School. It was introduced to America by Walter Crane and Charles Robert Ashby. The arts and crafts movement was the most important art movement in Britain at the end of 19. And influenced the next development of design history.

Time, Representative, Content and Significance of Arts and Crafts Movement

During the period of 1880- 19 10, a vigorous design movement-arts and crafts movement was launched in Britain, which spread to many European and American countries and had a far-reaching impact on the design movement of later generations.

William morris is the main promoter and leader of this movement.

Compared with the handcrafted products in the past, it presents obvious mechanical characteristics: the modeling and decorative design of some products still copy the styles of traditional handicraft products, which makes the mechanical products that are difficult to cope with complex forms look rougher and inferior than the handcrafted products that have been carefully crafted for a long time in the past; Some products are redesigned according to the characteristics of mechanical production, but their simple and clear style makes it difficult for many consumers who think that only traditional styles with complex patterns represent exquisite perfection. Therefore, the very immature arts and crafts design is facing difficulties in the transition period between the old and the new. The traditional school, represented by Ruskin, a British poet and literary critic, and Maurice, a painter and arts and crafts designer, launched criticism and propaganda in theory and actively participated in design practice. They were dissatisfied with the roughness and simplicity of mechanized products at that time, and thought that the real craft products should be both practical and beautiful, in an attempt to restore the standard craftsmanship and perfect and exquisite design of handmade products produced by traditional workshops in the Middle Ages. To this end, Morris set up his own dyeing and weaving workshop, and personally designed and handmade various fabrics, wallpapers, carpets and furniture. On the premise of denying the lack of curve change in the mechanized style at that time, the design adopted the form of natural organic matter (such as flowers and plants) and deformed it, so that the decorative patterns showed rich curves, full of vitality and sense of movement. They are inextricably linked with the curved styles of Baroque and Rococo (see Baroque and Rococo), which were once popular in Europe and had a strong sense of decoration. This style is quickly manifested in architectural modeling, interior decoration, garden art, book binding and other arts and crafts design, and has influenced the whole European design community. Ruskin and Morris' words and deeds brought them into a strange circle of historical significance: they opposed the mechanical production and modeling style of daily necessities in the industrialized era from an aesthetic point of view, but called on people to combine the design of daily necessities with their functions and put them into practice. Therefore, it is actually guiding people to pay special attention to the relationship between product design and its function, pointing out the correct design direction, and greatly promoting the development of industrial product design, a new thing.