Elisabeth Svalin Gunnarsson

Arts & Crafts

The Arts and Crafts Movement started as a backlash to industrialism and the stylistic ideals that prevailed in mid-19th century Britain. The fundamental principles of its adherents, including the art critic John Ruskin and the artist William Morris, developed into an international movement, were spread through craft guilds and influenced professional practitioners in a number of areas, from design and architecture to ornamentation and gardening. The movement reached Sweden a few decades later, expressed as a romanticisation of the simple life, with ties to the home. One of the movement s key figures in Sweden was Carl Larsson, whose colourful paintings famously depict the simplicity of everyday life. In this book, twelve authors explore the domestic settings, art schools, museums and other organisations where these ideals and visions were created, interpreted and developed. We read about the movement s continued relevance in our era not just for its wealth of beloved patterns that inspire and provide a basis for new styles but also in terms of our approach to creativity, sustainable technology and lifestyle. The anthology is richly illustrated and is available in Swedish and English editions.