Textiles of the Arts and Crafts Movement

This is a comprehensive survey of English textiles from the era when Britain led the design world. For twenty-five years after the first Arts and Crafts Exhibition in 1888, they were shown throughout Europe and the United States, influencing designers and attracting a large public, and were sold by the most fashionable shops. The refined creations of Arthur Silver (including Liberty's celebrated Peacock Feather), the distinctive designs of C.F.A. Voysey, the floral patterns of Lindsay Butterfield and George Haité - all are a source of delight and aesthetic inspiration. Some of the printed fabrics are popular again today through their recent revival by manufacturers. But the full variety of techniques exploited by the Arts and Crafts Movement - including not only printed but woven textiles, tapestries and carpets, embroideries and lace - is still unfamiliar. The volume examines the whole range of Arts and Crafts textiles and provides invaluable new information on designers, manufacturers and shops. The illustrations have been selected from the outstanding collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, supplemented by notable examples from other museums in Britain and elsewhere. Also included are rare photographs of some of the designers and of original interiors, where the fabrics appear in use.