Origins of the Arts & Crafts Movement

These four talks are the first half of a detailed examination of the Arts & Crafts movement presented by Nicholas Friend. Horrified by the dehumanisation and appalling commercial design brought about by the Industrial Revolution, John Ruskin in the hugely popular ‘The Stones of Venice’ demanded that patrons return dignity to the craftsman such as he thought had been the case in the Middle Ages. The hands-on practice of his disciple William Morris then directly inspired the works in architecture, furniture, wallpaper, textiles, tiles and ceramics by Arts and Crafts architects, designers and makers we study during this course: part I addresses makers in England, part II, to follow later in thewinter, those in America.

In North Berkeley, thanks to the inspired and determined women founders of the Hillside Club, led by lecturer Madge Robinson and conservationist Annie Maybeck, we live in the most important Arts and Crafts settlement on…