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William Morris
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Arts and Crafts
Inspired by the reformist passion of figures such as William Morris and John Ruskin, the Arts and Crafts movement had a huge effect on Victorian society. Its advocates looked to history and to the countryside to counteract the damaging effects of industrial production, developing a quietly revolutionary new take on domestic design.
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The V&A's collections hold a number of significant objects that exemplify Arts and Crafts design across a range of disciplines. These include drawings by Philip Webb of Red House (home to William Morris), striking items of jewellery and clothing, examples of domestic design that include stunning wallpapers and metalwork pieces, tiles by William De Morgan, and the Movement's famously 'rustic' furniture, as well as objects that demonstrate how the influence of Arts and Crafts moved beyond the UK.
Collection highlights
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Season ticket, by Walter Crane, 1890, Britain -
Necklace, designed by Charles Robert Ashbee, made by Guild of Handicraft Ltd., 1901 – 02, London, England -
Drawing, by William de Morgan, England -
Washstand, designed by Leonard F. Wyburd and William De Morgan, manufactured by Liberty & Co. Ltd. and William De Morgan, about 1894, London, England -
Design, William De Morgan, late 19th century, England -
Tray, designed by William Arthur Smith Benson, 1894, Hammersmith and Fulham, England -
Screen, designed by John Henry Dearle, manufactured by Morris & Co., 1885 – 1910, London -
Armchair, designed by Ernest William Gimson, made by Edward Gardiner, about 1905, Sapperton, England -
Clock, designed by Charles Francis Annesley Voysey, 1895, England -
Urn, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, made by James Miller, about 1902, Chicago, US -
Zermatt, watercolour, by John Ruskin, 1844, Zermatt, Switzerland -
Coat, by Marshall & Snelgrove Ltd, 1895 – 1900, England -
Decanter, designed by Charles Robert Ashbee, made by Guild of Handicraft Ltd, 1904 – 5, London, England -
Poppies furnishing fabric, designed by Lindsay Phillip Butterfield for Turnbull & Stockdale Ltd., 1901, England -
Lamp, designed by Arthur Stansfield Dixon, made by Birmingham Guild of Handicraft, about 1893, Birmingham, England -
Architectural drawing of the Red House, by Philip Webb, 1859, England -
The Angel with the Trumpet, furnishing fabric, designed by Herbert Percy Horne, made by Simpson & Godlee, about 1884, England
Features
Arts and Crafts: an introduction
Discover the origins of the Arts and Crafts movement
How Arts and Crafts influenced fashion
How did the ideas of the Arts and Crafts movement influence the design and manufacture of clothes, accessories and jewellery?
Arts and Crafts: design for the home
Which British designers applied Arts and Crafts principles in creating objects for the home? Find out in our A to Z guide.
Pattern design after William Morris
Highlights from the work of eight textile and wallpaper designers in our Arts and Crafts collection
Arts and Crafts: beyond the UK
Find out how the British Arts and Crafts Movement influenced the work of designers in other countries
Philip Webb: a new vision for domestic space
Philip Webb's designs for Red House highlight his quietly revolutionary approach to the design of domestic space
Arts and Crafts enamels
A new wave of artists discover an ancient technique
Conservation of the Poynter Room grill
See the magnificence of the metalwork return
Header image: Background image: Drawing, William De Morgan, England. Museum no. E.421-1917. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London