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.

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Background image: Drawing, William De Morgan, England. Museum no. E.421-1917. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London