The Dilemma between Quality and Quantity

During the Industrial Revolution the designs produced needed to be seen thus the Great Exhibition started to take place each year, around the world to display said design creations. The Great Exhibition gave a lot of importance to what was happening at that time, whether such interests were in art, science and technology, of political, economic and social significance. It not only put on display what was happening in Britain but the whole world therefore people could compare designs, styles and most importantly, quality.

People started comparing designs which were made in Europe, mainly Britain, to those produced in America and they noticed that there was a tremendous difference in the quality of the products. The thing was that the Americans had got the hang of mass production by producing designs which were more functional and better made simple designs for everyday use. Europe was still concerned with ornamentation similar to that found in the Renaissance but there was no need for such extravagance.

What intrigues me most is that amongst all the steel and steam engines you always get someone who wants to escape from the surrounding world and bring back colour and life to the dark and foggy slums. Someone who manages to break his way through like a plant does to break through the soil. To make it even more appropriate this person was William Morris, one of the founders of the Art and Crafts Movement. He was inspired by Ruskin, and Morris himself was a keen supporter of the gothic style and spirit.

Morris was a romantic and therefore his creed was that there needed to be love towards each hand crafted product and fought against the ‘inhuman’ conditions towards the products due to mass production. What he did not realise was that during Medieval times it was not out of ‘love’ that they created certain designs but because this were imposed on them, but he saw so much intricate detail in their works that could not think of it in any other way. So he produced his prints to revive the medieval spirit and homage to nature itself. Morris not only looked at nature himself but also instigated other people to do the same and other artists to look back to medieval times.

 

It is true that his deigns were full but they were organised. Such works have so much detail and intricate design but still put in place with great thought about each detail. They are not cluttered like the low quality tapestries that were being produced at the time. They are well positioned and also have a sense of symmetry in them.

Another of his great works is the intricate design found on the pages of ‘The Nature of Gothic’ by John Ruskin which made him also a pioneer in graphic design. 

As much as he looked back to medieval times, from his drawings it is noted that nature had the upper hand and his designs are foreshadowing what later on would be known as Art Nouveau. Here is a comparison between the two.

 
Medieval Stained Glass and Victor Horta Tassel House

Kenbaker. Dec 2008. The Significance of the Great Exhibition. [online] Available at: http://kenbaker.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/the-significance-of-the-great-exhibition-1851/ [Accessed on 12^th Oct 2013]

UN. Roots: William Morris and the Medieval Revival. [online] Available at: http://www.artscrafts.org.uk/roots/wmorris.html  [Accessed on 12^th Oct 2013]

Maraya, Dec 2011. Print Paper Cloth: Designer Spotlight – William Morris (1834 – 1896). [online] Available at: http://printpapercloth.com/designer-spotlight-william-morris-1834-1896/   [Accessed on 12^th Oct 2013]

UN. Belle Maison: Art Nouvaeu. [online] Available at: http://www.bellemaisoninc.com/2008/05/art-nouveau/  [Accessed on 12^th Oct 2013]

Spoonflower, Jun 2010. Stained Glass Design. [online] Available at: http://blog.spoonflower.com/2010/06/stained-glass-design-wins-medieval-fabric-competition.html [Accessed on 12^th Oct 2013]