Arts and Crafts

Book Review Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago (Art Institute of Chicago) (Hardcover) By Judith A. Barter (Editor, Contributor), Sarah E. Kelly (Contributor), Brandon K. Ruud (Contributor), Monica Obniski (Contributor), Ellen E. Roberts (Contributor)

The Arts and Crafts Movement began, largely in Britain and Scotland, in response a perceived notion that society had lost the dignity of handwork and design excellence. It was the aim of notable proponents of handwork and design excellence such as William Morris and Charles Rennie Mackintosh to reintroduce such qualities into the society in which they found themselves, i.e., post industrial revolution. Their intent was that architecture and crafted objects should reflect the idealist concept and spirit of the Movement in that they would embody high aesthetic quality and exceptional craftsmanship.

Christopher Dresser added a Japanese influence to the Movement by visiting Japan in 1876 to help modernize Japan’s industrial art production and then writing a book about his experiences “Japan: Its Architecture, Art and Art Manufacturers” exerted a powerful influence upon the Arts and Crafts Movement in America. The success of the Arts and Crafts Movement is revealed not only in the way the Movement was accepted and embraced in its own time but in the way contemporary society continues to value it.

Most especially, the contemporary value of the Arts and Crafts Movement is evidenced by the response and enthusiasm it engenders in collectors and the museums in which its examples are found. This book, Apostles of Beauty, is an excellent introduction to the Arts and Crafts Movement as well as a great refresher for those who are already knowledgeable about the topic. It seems quite natural that the Movement found exceptionally fertile soil in Chicago, and once planted, grew and thrived there as evidenced by the collections and scholarship of the Art Institute of Chicago. To one’s pleasure and gratitude the Arts and Crafts Movement embraced a very broad range of artistic endeavors – architecture, lighting, stained glass, art pottery, furniture, hardware, tableware, textiles, photography and metalwork.

Specifically, we note that Arts and Crafts homes employing stained glass designs, art tiles of the era, and light fixtures are enthusiastically embraced today. Further, Arts and Crafts furniture such as clocks, dining tables and chairs, complete with tableware, and candle wall sconces grace these homes. Frank Lloyd Wright and Gustav Stickley are only two of better known names associated with the homes of the period and their contents but are widely admired for their contributions to the Movement.

This book is exceptional for its writing, scholarship and illustration. It should be added to the library of any student or collector of Arts and Crafts Movement genre. Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago can be ordered here at an excellent price

Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago (Art Institute of Chicago)

Please enjoy the video below for further information about the Arts and Crafts Movement.