DOI Heft:
Nr. 156 (February 1910)
DOI Artikel:The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: a retrospect
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19868#0488
The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
society proved the value of combination, and meetings of artists culminated in a proposal for a
although obscure it enjoyed a useful and happy National Art Exhibition to be held in rivalry to
existence for three or four years, when it was the Academy — a proposal that led to no direct
absorbed into the Art Workers' Guild. result. The decorative artists and craftsmen took
Mr. Crane agrees with Mr. Mackail in ascribing a prominent part in the agitation, which they
to the earlier efforts of William Morris the source apparently hoped might lead to the institution of
of most of the subsequent developments of the an exhibition in which their own work, as well as
Arts and Crafts Society. The group of craftsmen that of the painters, might be fitly displayed. But
of which it was composed in 1888 were, says according to Mr. Crane the craftsmen after a time
Mr. Mackail, drawn together from very different came to feel that the painters were but little inter-
quarters and worked in very various methods, but ested in the reform of the Academy except in so
each in his own sphere aimed at a renaissance of the far as it affected the selection and arrangement of
decorative arts which should act at once through their pictures. Therefore, as there seemed to be
and towards more humanized conditions of life no prospect of a thoroughly representative exhibi-
both for the workman and for those for whom he tion of all kinds of art, the craftsmen and
worked, "and there were few
if any among them who
would not readily have
acknowledged Morris as
their master." Morris had
at first to combat the pre-
tentious ugliness of domestic
decoration of which the
1851 Exhibition contained
so many painful examples,
and Mr. Crane regards the
things that came forth from
his unpretending house in
Queen Square as " the sling
and stone that have slain
the false ideas of vulgar
smartness'' wherever refine-
ment and feeling have been
exercised at all. Morris,
however, took no part in
the inception of the pro-
posed Arts and Crafts
Exhibition scheme, and
although wholly in favour
of the movement generally
he rather dreaded the
opening of the exhibition
because he doubted the
possibility of its success.
The revolt against the
Royal Academy in 1885-6
was an important factor in
the foundation of the Arts
and Crafts Exhibition
Society. Discontent among
the outsiders was more than
usually rife just then, and
much correspondence in
the newspapers and several bookbinding by douglas cockerell.
298
society proved the value of combination, and meetings of artists culminated in a proposal for a
although obscure it enjoyed a useful and happy National Art Exhibition to be held in rivalry to
existence for three or four years, when it was the Academy — a proposal that led to no direct
absorbed into the Art Workers' Guild. result. The decorative artists and craftsmen took
Mr. Crane agrees with Mr. Mackail in ascribing a prominent part in the agitation, which they
to the earlier efforts of William Morris the source apparently hoped might lead to the institution of
of most of the subsequent developments of the an exhibition in which their own work, as well as
Arts and Crafts Society. The group of craftsmen that of the painters, might be fitly displayed. But
of which it was composed in 1888 were, says according to Mr. Crane the craftsmen after a time
Mr. Mackail, drawn together from very different came to feel that the painters were but little inter-
quarters and worked in very various methods, but ested in the reform of the Academy except in so
each in his own sphere aimed at a renaissance of the far as it affected the selection and arrangement of
decorative arts which should act at once through their pictures. Therefore, as there seemed to be
and towards more humanized conditions of life no prospect of a thoroughly representative exhibi-
both for the workman and for those for whom he tion of all kinds of art, the craftsmen and
worked, "and there were few
if any among them who
would not readily have
acknowledged Morris as
their master." Morris had
at first to combat the pre-
tentious ugliness of domestic
decoration of which the
1851 Exhibition contained
so many painful examples,
and Mr. Crane regards the
things that came forth from
his unpretending house in
Queen Square as " the sling
and stone that have slain
the false ideas of vulgar
smartness'' wherever refine-
ment and feeling have been
exercised at all. Morris,
however, took no part in
the inception of the pro-
posed Arts and Crafts
Exhibition scheme, and
although wholly in favour
of the movement generally
he rather dreaded the
opening of the exhibition
because he doubted the
possibility of its success.
The revolt against the
Royal Academy in 1885-6
was an important factor in
the foundation of the Arts
and Crafts Exhibition
Society. Discontent among
the outsiders was more than
usually rife just then, and
much correspondence in
the newspapers and several bookbinding by douglas cockerell.
298