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The Modern Style is a style of architecture, art, and design that first emerged in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in the mid-1880s. It was the first
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
style worldwide, and it represents the evolution of the
Arts and Crafts movement The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America. Initiat ...
which was native to
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
. The Modern Style provided the base and intellectual background for the Art Nouveau movement and was adapted by other countries, giving birth to local variants such as
Jugendstil (; "Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German and Austrian cou ...
and the
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
. It was cultivated and disseminated through the
Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
department store and '' The Studio'' magazine. The most important person in the field of design in general, and architecture in particular, was
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
. He created one of the key motifs of the movement, now known as the "Mackintosh rose" or "Glasgow rose". The Glasgow School circle was also of tremendous importance, particularly the group closely associated with Mackintosh known as " The Four". The Liberty store's nurturing of style gave birth to two metalware lines, Cymric and Tudric, designed by Archibald Knox. In the field of ceramic and glass Christopher Dresser is a standout figure: not only did he work with the most prominent ceramic manufacturers but became a crucial person behind James Couper & Sons' trademarking of Clutha glass, inspired by ancient Rome, in 1888.
Aubrey Beardsley Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
was a defining person in graphic design and drawing, and influenced painting and style in general. In textiles
William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
and C. F. A. Voysey are of huge importance, influencing them all to an extent, although most artists were versatile and worked in many mediums and fields. Because of the evolution of Arts and Crafts to Modern Style, lines can be blurred and many designers, artists, and craftspeople worked in both styles simultaneously. Important figures include Charles Robert Ashbee,
Walter Crane Walter Crane (15 August 184514 March 1915) was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered to be the most influential, and among the most prolific, children's book creators of his generation and, along with Randolph Caldecott and Ka ...
, Léon-Victor Solon, George Skipper, Charles Harrison Townsend, Arthur Mackmurdo,
William James Neatby William James Neatby (24 May 1860 – 20 April 1910), often W. J. Neatby, was an English architect, designer and artist. He is best known for his designs of architectural ceramics and was Doulton and Co.'s chief ceramic designer. His standout wor ...
.


History


Origins

Art Nouveau had its origins in Britain, mainly in the work of
William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
and the
Arts and Crafts movement The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America. Initiat ...
which was founded by Morris and his followers. Through Morris, a formative and essential influence was the
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), later known as the Pre-Raphaelites, was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossett ...
, which was championed and sometimes financially supported by
John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English polymath a writer, lecturer, art historian, art critic, draughtsman and philanthropist of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as art, architecture, Critique of politic ...
. Ruskin's influence on the formation of Arts and Crafts and the Modern Style is hard to overstate. The Arts and Crafts movement called for better treatment of decorative arts, believed all objects should be made beautiful, and took inspiration from folklore, medieval craftsmanship and design, and nature. An early prototype is
Red House, Bexleyheath Red House is a significant Arts and Crafts movement, Arts and Crafts building located in Bexleyheath, south-east London, England. Co-designed in 1859 by the architect Philip Webb and the designer William Morris, it was created to serve as a fam ...
(1860), with architectural work by
Philip Webb Philip Speakman Webb (12 January 1831 – 17 April 1915) was a British architect and designer sometimes called the Father of Arts and Crafts Architecture. His use of vernacular architecture demonstrated his commitment to "the art of common ...
and interiors by William Morris. The work of Arthur Mackmurdo is the earliest fully realised form of Art Nouveau; his ''Mahogany chair'' from 1883 and design for a cover for the essay ''Wren's City Churches'' are recognised by art historians as the very first works in the new style.Art Nouveau by Rosalind Ormiston and Michael Robinson, 58 Mackmurdo's work shows the influence of another British illustrator
William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of the Roma ...
, whose designs for '' Songs of Innocence and of Experience'' from 1789 point to an even earlier origin of Art Nouveau. Unlike in Europe, in Great Britain there had been no radical revolution, and artists and architects continued a spirit of innovation which was the essence of Arts and Crafts. Art Nouveau is a natural evolution of the Arts and Crafts movement.


Development

Fertile ground for this new style was in Scotland, and Glasgow in particular. The city already had significant artistic activity, with the Glasgow Art Institute founded in 1879. As with most other European style variations, it was influenced by
Japonisme ''Japonisme'' is a French term that refers to the popularity and influence of Japanese art and design among a number of Western European artists in the nineteenth century following the Bakumatsu, forced reopening of foreign trade with Japan in 1 ...
which was in vogue with the addition of the
Celtic Revival The Celtic Revival (also referred to as the Celtic Twilight) is a variety of movements and trends in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries that see a renewed interest in aspects of Celtic culture. Artists and writers drew on the traditions of Gae ...
trend and its nationalistic tone. Archibald Knox was a prominent figure in the formation of a new style, which built on the foundation of Arts and Crafts with the conscious addition of Celtic elements, as he was from the
Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...
and interested in his Celtic roots. Christopher Dresser and his interest in Japanese design added an important ingredient to the Modern Style.Art Nouveau by Rosalind Ormiston and Michael Robinson, 57 The Style existed in England as well, but artists there gravitated slightly more towards Arts and Crafts. The most prominent figures would be
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...
and people closely associated with him also known as "The Four", and the Glasgow School, so that the style was also known as the "Glasgow Style". Pieces designed by William Morris, Archibald Knox, and Christopher Dresser were on sale in a newly opened department store called
Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
, in London's Regent Street, in 1875. Arthur Lasenby Liberty with his great business skills fused the Arts and Crafts and Celtic Britain aesthetics with popular demand for oriental design. He opened a second store in Paris in 1890. In the 1890s, Liberty collaborated with many British designers and artists, mainly working in the Arts and Crafts style that was by then evolving into Art Nouveau. The store became synonymous with the new style, to the extent that Art Nouveau is sometimes called '' stile Liberty'' in Italy. The styles co-existed and numerous artists contributed to both styles and played roles in developing them. A good example of this blurring of lines and distinction is Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose architecture work was very much in the Glasgow style, but parts of the interior in those same buildings could lean more in the Arts and Crafts direction, particularly the furniture. In 1900, "The Four" and some English artists including Charles Robert Ashbee with his Guild and School of Handicraft were invited to participate in the
Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...
's 8th exhibition. They were a huge influence on the artists of the Vienna Secession and the Viennese art scene. Modern Style artists strongly influenced Koloman Moser and
Josef Hoffmann Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
, and inspired them to establish the
Wiener Werkstätte The Wiener Werkstätte ("Vienna Workshop"), established in 1903 by the graphic designer and painter Koloman Moser, the architect Josef Hoffmann and the patron Fritz Waerndorfer, was a productive association in Vienna, Austria that brought to ...
. In 1901 the writer Jean Lahor stated that William Morris and John Ruskin were precursors to Art Nouveau. British design was enormously influential at that time, and this became unbearable for some: writer Charles Genuys declared in 1897 that it was time to shake it off. File:Crane_toybook.jpg,
Walter Crane Walter Crane (15 August 184514 March 1915) was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered to be the most influential, and among the most prolific, children's book creators of his generation and, along with Randolph Caldecott and Ka ...
(1874) cover for toybook File:Liberty department store London.jpg,
Liberty (department store) Liberty, commonly known as Liberty's, is a luxury department store in London, England. It is located on Great Marlborough Street in the West End of London. The building spans from Carnaby Street in the East to Kingly Street in the West, where ...
(1875) File:Wave_bowl_MET_LC-2001_549-001.jpg, ''Wave bowl'' by Christopher Dresser (1880) File:Songs of Innocence and of Experience, copy AA, object 1.jpg, ''Songs of Innocence and of Experience'' (1789) by
William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of the Roma ...
File:MackmurdoWren1883.gif, Cover design by Arthur Mackmurdo for a book on
Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren FRS (; – ) was an English architect, astronomer, mathematician and physicist who was one of the most highly acclaimed architects in the history of England. Known for his work in the English Baroque style, he was ac ...
(1883) File:Chair LACMA M.2009.115 (5 of 5).jpg, ''Mahogany chair'' by Arthur Mackmurdo (1883)


Painting

An important influence on painting, and one of the formative influences on the Modern Style in general was Pre-Raphaelitism, which affected the Arts and Crafts movement, Symbolism, Aestheticism and the Modern Style.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti (12 May 1828 – 9 April 1882), generally known as Dante Gabriel Rossetti ( ; ), was an English poet, illustrator, painter, translator, and member of the Rossetti family. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brother ...
and
Edward Burne-Jones Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August 183317 June 1898) was an English painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter. Burne-Jones worked with William Morris as a founding part ...
were among the most important figures associated with Pre-Raphaelitism. The group known as "The Four" made the biggest impact in the field of painting and the style in general. This group consisted of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, his friend Herbert MacNair, and sisters Frances MacDonald and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. "The Four" met at painting classes at the Glasgow School of Art in 1891. Frances MacDonald and Herbert MacNair married in 1899, and Margaret MacDonald and Charles Rennie Mackintosh married in 1900. Although all were great artists in their own right, MacDonald Mackintosh stood out in the field of painting; she greatly influenced Mackintosh and he praised her as a genius. Both sisters were influenced by the work of
William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of the Roma ...
and
Aubrey Beardsley Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
and this is reflected in their use of elongated figures and linear elements. MacDonald Mackintosh exhibited with her husband at the 1900 Vienna Secession, where they were an influence on Gustav Klimt,
Josef Hoffmann Josef Hoffmann (15 December 1870 – 7 May 1956) was an Austrians, Austrian-Sudeten Germans, Moravian architect and designer. He was among the founders of Vienna Secession and co-establisher of the Wiener Werkstätte. His most famous architect ...
, and artists who would later form the
Wiener Werkstätte The Wiener Werkstätte ("Vienna Workshop"), established in 1903 by the graphic designer and painter Koloman Moser, the architect Josef Hoffmann and the patron Fritz Waerndorfer, was a productive association in Vienna, Austria that brought to ...
. They continued to be popular in the Viennese art scene, with both exhibiting at the Viennese International Art Exhibit in 1909. In 1902, the couple received a major Viennese commission: Fritz Waerndorfer, the initial financer of the Wiener Werkstätte, was building a new villa outside Vienna showcasing the work of many local architects. Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser were already designing two of its rooms. Waerndorfer invited the Mackintoshes to design the music room. That room was decorated with panels of MacDonald Mackintosh's art: the ''Opera of the Winds'', the ''Opera of the Seas'', and the ''Seven Princesses'', a new wall-sized triptych considered by some to be her finest work. This collaboration was described by contemporary critic Amelia Levetus as "perhaps their greatest work, for they were allowed perfectly free scope". File:Bessie_MacNicol_-_The_Fur_Coat.jpg, ''The Fur Coat'' circa 1890s, by Bessie MacNicol File:Dolcibella_by_neatby.jpg, ''Dolcibella'' 1899, by W. J. Neatby File:"The May Queen" de Margaret Macdonald (Glasgow) (3803689322).jpg, alt=The May Queen, 1900., ''The May Queen'', 1900. by Margaret MacDonald File:Frances MacDonald - Floral Design 1901.jpg, File:Margaret MacDonald - Opera Of The Winds 1903.jpg, ''Opera Of The Winds'', 1903. by Margaret MacDonald File:'The_Heart_of_the_Rose'_by_William_James_Neatby,_paint_on_plaster,_Wolfsonian-FIU_Museum.JPG, ''The Heart of the Rose'' circa 1903, by W. J. Neatby File:MacNair,_The_Gift_of_Doves.jpg, The Gift of Doves, 1904. by Herbert MacNair


Graphics and drawing

The first appearance of the curving, sinuous forms that came to be called Art Nouveau is traditionally attributed to Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo in 1883. They were soon adopted in the 1890s by Pre-Raphaelite painter
Edward Burne-Jones Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August 183317 June 1898) was an English painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter. Burne-Jones worked with William Morris as a founding part ...
and by
Aesthetic movement Aestheticism (also known as the aesthetic movement) was an art movement in the late 19th century that valued the appearance of literature, music, fonts and the arts over their functions. According to Aestheticism, art should be produced to b ...
illustrator
Aubrey Beardsley Aubrey Vincent Beardsley ( ; 21 August 187216 March 1898) was an English illustrator and author. His black ink drawings were influenced by Woodblock printing in Japan, Japanese woodcuts, and depicted the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. ...
, following the advice of the art historian and critic
John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English polymath a writer, lecturer, art historian, art critic, draughtsman and philanthropist of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as art, architecture, Critique of politic ...
, who urged artists to "go to nature" for their inspiration. In Britain, one of the first leading graphic artists in what became Art Nouveau style was Aubrey Beardsley. He began with engraved book illustrations for ''
Le Morte d'Arthur ' (originally written as '; Anglo-Norman French for "The Death of Arthur") is a 15th-century Middle English prose reworking by Sir Thomas Malory of tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the Knights of the ...
'', then black and white illustrations for ''
Salome Salome (; , related to , "peace"; ), also known as Salome III, was a Jews, Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II and princess Herodias. She was granddaughter of Herod the Great and stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She is known from the New T ...
'' by
Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...
in 1893, which brought him fame. In the same year, he began engraving illustrations and posters for the art magazine ''The Studio'', which helped publicise European artists such as Fernand Khnopff in Britain. The curving lines and intricate floral patterns attracted as much attention as the text. Salomé- a tragedy in one act pg 79.jpg, ''The Dancers Reward'', '' Salomé: a tragedy in one act'' by Beardsley Thestudiomagazinefirstcover.jpg, First issue of '' The Studio'', with cover by Beardsley (1893) John+Salome.jpg, ''John the Baptist and Salome'', 1893–4
by Beardsley Venus between terminal gods beardsley.jpg, ''Venus between Terminal Gods'', 1895 by Beardsley Aubrey_Beardsley_Beardsley_-_Isolde.jpg, ''Isolde'', illustration in ''Pan'' magazine, 1899 by Beardsley Illustration_from_%27Ver_Sacrum%27_-_Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh_-_1901.jpg, Illustration from ''Ver Sacrum'' magazine - Charles Rennie Mackintosh - 1901


Architecture

The most prominent architect of the Modern Style was Charles Rennie Mackintosh. He was based in Glasgow and took inspiration from
Scottish Baronial architecture Scottish baronial or Scots baronial is an architectural style of 19th-century Gothic Revival which revived the forms and ornaments of historical architecture of Scotland in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. Reminiscent of Scot ...
fusing it with organic forms of plants and the simplicity of Japanese design. This unique blend gave birth to the modern and distinct style for which he is known. He considered Scottish Baronial to be the national style of Scotland, and in 1890 he delivered a lecture to the Glasgow Architectural Association on the subject of Scottish Baronial: "How different is the study of Scottish Baronial architecture. Its original examples are at our doors... the monuments of our forefathers, the works of men bearing our own name". Along with his most famous work, Glasgow School of Art, almost all buildings he created are notable and important such as Scotland Street School Museum, Queen's Cross Church, Glasgow, and Hill House, Helensburgh. Along with built designs, there were several which were not built. He was moderately successful as an architect but his significance was only fully understood after his death and he was brought to fame. One of his designs built posthumously is the House for an Art Lover. A recurring motif in his designs is what became known as the ''Mackintosh Rose'' or ''Glasgow Rose''. Another important architect was George Skipper, who had a great impact on the city of
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
. His stand out work is the Royal Arcade, Norwich which has 24 wooden bow-fronted shops with faience details designed by W. J. Neatby. Writer and poet John Betjeman said of Skipper: "He is altogether remarkable and original. He was to Norwich what Gaudi was to Barcelona." Everard's Printing Works in Bristol is another icon of Modern Style. Architectural work by Henry Williams celebrates the history of printing from Gutenberg to William Morris. The facade is decorated with tiles in designs by W. J. Neatby. James Salmon, who was a native of Glasgow and attended Glasgow School of Art from 1888 until 1895, completing his apprenticeship in the office of William Leiper (1839–1916), also developed a remarkable style. "The Hatrack" (1899–1902) in St Vincent Street is his most famous work, with much glass, a highly detailed Modern Style facade and a distinctive cupola that gave the buildings its nickname. Charles Harrison Townsend made a significant contribution to the style; some claim he was the only English architect to have worked in the new style. Like all architects and artists working in the new style he displayed an affinity for nature motifs but his motif of choice was the tree. Leslie Green was a Londoner who designed a significant number of iconic
London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or as the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent home counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England. The Undergro ...
stations in his home city. His use of
oxblood Oxblood or ox-blood is a dark shade of red. It resembles burgundy (color), burgundy, but has less purple and more dark brown hues. The French term sang-de-bœuf, or sang de bœuf, with the same meaning (but also "ox blood") is used in various co ...
glazed architectural terra-cotta Glazed architectural terra cotta is a ceramic masonry building material used as a decorative skin. It featured widely in the 'terracotta revival' from the 1880s until the 1930s. It was used in the UK, United States, Canada and Australia and ...
on the exterior of stations gave them a distinct and somewhat flamboyant appearance. For the interiors he used a pleasant
bottle-green Varieties of the color green may differ in hue, chroma (also called saturation or intensity) or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or in two or three of these qualities. Variations in value are also called tints and shades, a tint ...
terra-cotta. File:Bishopsgate Institute, Bishopsgate, EC2.jpg, Bishopsgate Institute by Townsend (1892–94) File:Fox_and_Anchor,_Farringdon,_EC1_(2486430867).jpg, The Fox and Anchor by Latham Withall (1898) File:New_Palace_Theatre_Plymouth.jpg, The Palace Theatre by Wimperis & Arber (1898) File:The Whitechapel Gallery.jpg, The Whitechapel Gallery by Townsend (1895–99) File:2004 norwich 05.JPG, The Royal Arcade, Norwich by George Skipper (1898–99) File:Bâtiment_Art_Nouveau_à_Leicester.jpg, The Turkey Cafe by Arthur Wakerley (1900) File:Horniman Museum.jpg, The Horniman Museum by Townsend (1898–1901) File:Drawing for 'Windy Hill'.jpg, Windy Hill, Kilmacolm by Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1901) File:The Willow Tearooms Glasgow.jpg, The Willow Tearooms by Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1903) File:The Museum - geograph.org.uk - 429777.jpg, Pontefract Museum by George Pennington (1904) File:Christchurch Methodists - geograph.org.uk - 953150.jpg, Christ Church Methodist Church by Arthur Brewill and Basil Baily (1903–1904) File:Russell_Square_tube_station,_September_2016_07.jpg, The Russell Square tube station by Green (1906) File:Flickr_-_Duncan~_-_Strand_Station.jpg, The disused Strand station by Green (1907) File:Royal Liver Building.jpg, The Royal Liver Building by Walter Aubrey Thomas (1908–1911) File:Bibendum.jpg, Michelin House by François Espinasse (1910–1911)


Metalware and jewellery

Cymric was the name given to a range of original silver and jewellery that A. L. Liberty sponsored in 1898, and which was first exhibited at his shop in the spring of the following year. Although the mark registered at the Goldsmiths' Company was entered in his name, the majority of the silver and jewellery was made by W. H. Haseler of Birmingham, who became a joint partner in the project, after designs supplied by Oliver Baker and the Silver Studio. Archibald Knox, a Manxman who had worked for Christopher Dresser, was one of the most gifted designers employed by the Silver Studio; he supplied the majority of Liberty metalwork designs between 1899 and 1912. Tudric was the range name for pewterware made by W.H. Haseler of Birmingham. The chief designer was Archibald Knox, together with David Veazey, Oliver Baker, and Rex Silver. Liberty & Co began producing Tudric in 1901 and continued to the 1930s. Tudric pewter was differentiated from other pewters by its better quality, it having a higher content of silver. Pewter is traditionally known as "the poor man's silver". The Guild and School of Handicraft, established in 1888 by Charles Robert Ashbee, made a significant contribution to the style in the medium. One of the founding members and first instructor in metalwork was John Pearson. Pearson is most famous for his work in copper, and his innovation of beating the copper out against a block of lead. Guild designs of belt buckles, jewellery, cutlery, and tableware were notable in influencing German and Austrian Art Nouveau artists. File:Tobacco_canister_from_the_Tudric_series,_by_Archibald_Knox,_Liberty_%26_Co.,_London,_c._1902,_tin_-_Hessisches_Landesmuseum_Darmstadt_-_Darmstadt,_Germany_-_DSC01099.jpg File:Archibald_knox_per_liberty_%26_co.,_scatola_per_biscotti_tudric,_peltro_e_smalti,_1903.jpg File:Archibald_knox_per_liberty_%26_co.,_porta_sigarette,_argento_con_smalti,_1907.jpg File:%27Bollelin%27_pewter_plate_designed_by_Archibald_Knox.jpg File:Archibald_Knox_candle_holder.jpg File:Candlesticks,_designed_by_Archibald_Knox,_made_by_W._H._Haseler,_Birmingham,_for_Liberty_%26_Co.,_London,_undated,_tin_-_Bröhan_Museum,_Berlin_-_DSC03942.JPG File:Beer_stein,_designed_by_Archibald_Knox,_made_by_W._H._Haseler,_Birmingham,_for_Liberty_%26_Co.,_London,_1900,_silver,_enamel_-_Bröhan_Museum,_Berlin_-_DSC03938.JPG File:Ornamental_vase,_designed_by_Archibald_Knox,_made_by_W._H._Haseler,_Birmingham,_for_Liberty_%26_Co.,_London,_c._1903,_cast_tin_-_Bröhan_Museum,_Berlin_-_DSC03934.JPG File:Table_clock_%27The_Magnus%27,_designed_by_Archibald_Knox,_made_by_W._H._Haseler,_Birmingham,_for_Liberty_%26_Co.,_London,_1902,_silver,_enamel_-_Bröhan_Museum,_Berlin_-_DSC03941.JPG File:Small_pan_with_spoon,_designed_by_Charles_Robert_Ashbee,_made_by_Guild_of_Handicraft_Ltd.,_London,_c._1902,_silver_-_Bröhan_Museum,_Berlin_-_DSC03937.JPG File:Sporting_cup,_Charles_Robert_Ashbee_designer,_Arthur_Cameron_and_John_Kirsten_Bailey_makers,_The_Guild_of_Handicraft,_Britain,_1899,_silver,_enamel,_carnelian_-_Dallas_Museum_of_Art_-_DSC05196.jpg File:Cymric_Brooch,_ca._1905_(CH_51685159).jpg File:Liberty_%27Cymric%27_style_silver_ladies%27_belt_clasps.JPG File:"Cymric"_lines_Button,_1900–03_(CH_18622617).jpg File:"Coronation"_Presentation_Spoon,_1901_(CH_18653115).jpg


Textiles and wallpaper

Thanks to William Morris, this medium had a renaissance. He did away with luxurious jacquard weaved silk furnishings at one end of the luxury scale, and with cheap roller printed textiles and wallpapers at the other. The focus of his attention, in Arts and Crafts spirit, was on traditional craft-based hand block printing and hand weaving. He fully utilised these mediums with new patterns and unleashed creativity in pattern design, shining a new light and changing people's perception of home furnishings. Morris's most iconic forms were unique plant-based compositions, in wallpaper from 1864 and printed textiles from 1874. Plants native to England were the essence of his design. C. F. A. Voysey made a huge contribution to the field. Although an architect by profession he was persuaded by his friend Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo to try designing wallpapers. One of his aphorisms was "To be simple is the end, not the beginning, of design". He was admired on the Continent by figures like Victor Horta and Henry van de Velde. In 1900 the ''Journal of Decorative Art'' called him "fountainhead" and "the prophet" of Art Nouveau. Silver Studio, founded by Arthur Silver in 1880 and later inherited by his son Rex Silver, had its heyday roughly from 1890 to 1910 at the peak of Modern Style. The studio started with Japanese-inspired designs and established an important relationship with the Liberty department store, for which several designs were produced. Many talented designers worked for the studio, including John Illingworth Kay, Harry Napper, and Archibald Knox. In 1897 '' The Studio'' reported that ''le style Anglais'' was invading France, and that "the majority of designers and manufacturers are content to copy and disfigure English patterns." The huge popularity of these designs was reflected in that by 1906 the number of designs sold to European manufacturers was 40%. Charles_Francis_Annesley_Voysey_-_Tulip_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg, Voysey (1893)


Ceramics

Christopher Dresser was the most important ceramicist in England at the time. His interest in ceramics started in the 1860s and he worked for firms such as Linthorpe Art Pottery,
Mintons Mintons was a major company in Staffordshire pottery, "Europe's leading ceramic factory during the Victorian era", an independent business from 1793 to 1968. It was a leader in ceramic design, working in a number of different ceramic bodies, ...
,
Wedgwood Wedgwood is an English China (material), fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons L ...
, Royal Worcester, Watcombe, Linthorpe, Old Hall at
Hanley Hanley is one of the Federation of Stoke-on-Trent, six towns that, along with Burslem, Longton, Staffordshire, Longton, Fenton, Staffordshire, Fenton, Tunstall, Staffordshire, Tunstall and Stoke-upon-Trent, amalgamated to form the City of Stoke- ...
and Ault. He was inspired by nature (not surprising considering he was a botanist) but strongly rejected outright copying, instead arguing for a stylised approach: "If plants are employed as ornaments they must not be treated imitatively, but must be conventionally treated, or rendered into ornaments – a monkey can imitate, man can create." In contrast to those designs, he also made bold, bright coloured creations full of virility. In addition to Dressler, important designers working in the medium were John W. Wadsworth and Léon-Victor Solon. In 1901 Wadsworth, under the directorship of Solon, created a range called "Secessionist Ware". Named after the Vienna Secession which was very much in vogue post-1900, its stylised floral designs and strong use of line contributed significantly to the international movement. Even though Mackintosh did not create ceramics his design influence, both direct and indirect, is hard to overstate. File:Vase_(England),_1880–82_(CH_18620861).jpg, Dresser 1880 File:Christopher_Dresser._Soup_Plate.jpg, Dresser 1886 File:U-shaped_vase_MET_DT5885.jpg, Dresser 1886–1889 File:Vase_MET_SF1995_413_(cropped).jpg, Clarissa Ault circa 1890 File:Tall_vase_MET_DP704404.jpg, Dresser 1892–1894 File:Box_(AM_1988.104-5)_(cropped).jpg, Secessionist 1906


Architectural ceramics

William James Neatby William James Neatby (24 May 1860 – 20 April 1910), often W. J. Neatby, was an English architect, designer and artist. He is best known for his designs of architectural ceramics and was Doulton and Co.'s chief ceramic designer. His standout wor ...
started his foray into the ceramics at Burmantofts Potteries working as the architectural ceramics designer; he was previously working as an architect. He spent six years working for the company, from 1894 to 1890, and was its leading designer during that period. Neatby worked closely with the architects and designed numerous interiors and exteriors for hotels, hospitals, banks, restaurants and houses. The architects would only give Neatby the rough outline, and he was able to interpret the spirit of the undertaking and continue from there, due to both his artistic sensibility and his training as an architect. He moved to London in 1890 and worked for Doulton and Co. where he was in charge of Doulton's architectural department for the design and production of mural ceramics. He spent eleven years with the company, and it was during this period that he designed his most famous work, Meat Hall at
Harrods Harrods is a Listed building, Grade II listed luxury department store on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It was designed by C. W. Stephens for Charles Digby Harrod, and opened in 1905; it replaced the first store on the ground ...
department store. File:Royal_Observatory_Greenwich_-_Astronomy_Centre_-_sculpture_-_Astronomia_(8142755056).jpg, Astronomia sculpture with zodiac signs by Neatby at
Royal Observatory, Greenwich The Royal Observatory, Greenwich (ROG; known as the Old Royal Observatory from 1957 to 1998, when the working Royal Greenwich Observatory, RGO, temporarily moved south from Greenwich to Herstmonceux) is an observatory situated on a hill in Gre ...
(1896). File:Watts_Cemetery_Chapel_-_Exterior_Frieze_-_geograph.org.uk_-_453930.jpg, Watts Cemetery Chapel by Mary Fraser Tytler (1898) File:London_-_Brompton_Road_-_Harrods_-_Meat,_Fish_&_Poultry_Department_II.jpg, Harrods Meat Hall 1902 by W. J. Neatby File:Westminster_OrchardHouse_terracotta.jpg, Orchard House by W. J. Neatby


Glass

From a legislative and political standpoint, a significant moment for glass in Britain was the abolition in 1851 of a tax on windows according to their size. This in turn led to larger windows, and greater use of glass in architecture and house design in general. The 19th century made important innovations when it comes to glass manufacturing. In the 1820s the technique for moulding glass was discovered, and in the 1870s for blown glass. Besides new techniques, new types of glass were also being explored. One of these was Clutha glass, trademarked by James Couper & Sons in 1888. This glass, unlike the previous type of glass, had air bubbes purposely left, as it imitated ancient Roman glass which was in vogue at the time. Clutha line was designed by Dresser from 1888 until 1896 and was retailed by the ever-present Liberty department store. Dresser focused on the form and practicality of his designs, and had a great understanding of manufacturing technique: "Glass has a molten state in which it can be blown into the most beautiful of shapes. This process is the work of but a few seconds. If material is worked in its most simple and befitting manner, the results are more beautiful than those which are arrived at by any roundabout method of production."Clutha vase
The Met. Retrieved 4 December 2022
File:Clutha_vase_MET_DT6626.jpg, Dresser 1890 File:Clutha_vase_MET_SF1998_160.jpg, Dresser 1895 File:Christopher_Dresser_-_Vase_-_1991.103_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art.tif, Dresser 1895


Gallery

File:Hampstead_tube_station_040.jpg File:Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh_-_Dining_Room_1901.jpg File:Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh_-_Music_Room_1901.jpg File:Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh_(Kelvingrove,_Glasgow)_(3838792219).jpg File:Chair_from_Inception.jpg File:Interior_door_stained_glass_Ruchill_Mackintosh_Church_Hall,_Glasgow.jpg File:Charles_rennie_macintosh,_poltroncina,_glasgow_1897.jpg File:Charles_rennie_macintosh,_tavolo,_glasgow_1902.jpg File:Siège_de_C.R._Mackintosh_(The_Lighthouse,_Glasgow)_(3802871315).jpg File:Mackintosh_furniture_-_geograph.org.uk_-_518160.jpg File:Mackintosh_Window_(304516308).jpg File:Charles_rennie_macintosh_per_w.j._bassett-lowke,_orologio_da_tavolo,_scozia_1917_ca.jpg File:Charles_rennie_mackintosh,_secrétaire,_glasgow_1903-04,_02.JPG File:National_Museum_of_Ethnology,_Osaka_-_Chair_"Ladder-back_chair"_-_Glasgow_in_United_Kingdom_-_Made_by_Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh_in_2006_(originally_1903).jpg File:Armchair,_Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh,_made_by_Francis_Smith_%26_Son,_Glasgow,_1898-1899,_oak_-_Montreal_Museum_of_Fine_Arts_-_Montreal,_Canada_-_DSC09146.jpg File:Chaise_de_Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh_(Musée_d%27Orsay)_(8982129778).jpg File:Charles_rennie_mackintosh,_tavolino,_glasgow_1903-04.JPG File:Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh_-_Chair_-_1903.jpg File:HouseForAnArtLoverPiano.jpg File:Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh_Cabinet_(8030216621).jpg File:Bedroom_furniture_by_Charles_Rennie_Mackintosh.jpg File:Arthur_heygate_mackmurdo,_tavolino,_1890_ca.jpg File:E._goodall_%26_co.,_arthur_heygate_mackmurdo,_sedia_dalla_sala_da_pranzo_di_pownall_hall,_cheshire,_manchester_1886_ca.JPG File:Arthur_heygate_mackmurdo_per_e._goodhall_e_co.,_poltrona,_con_tappezzeria_dis._da_herbert_p._horne_per_simpson_%26_godle,_1885_ca.jpg File:Mary_O%27Neill_by_Archibald_Knox.jpg File:Hall_Caine%27s_grave_inscription,_Maughold,_Isle_of_Man.JPG File:Covered_bowl_by_Charles_Robert_Ashbee,_Guild_of_Handicraft_London,_1900,_silver,_enamel,_mother-of-pearl_-_Hessisches_Landesmuseum_Darmstadt_-_Darmstadt,_Germany_-_DSC01079.jpg


References

{{Archhistory 1880s establishments in the United Kingdom British art movements Art Nouveau Decorative arts