The forefathers of this movement were the Pre-Raphaelites, a group of English poets and painters enamored of the artistic aesthetics of medieval times. Their inspiration was classical mythology, Celtic folklore, and a deep despair over the societal impact of the Industrial Revolution. Dante Gabriel Rosetti led the group which included painters such as Edward Bourne-Jones and, later, William Morris. For a brief overview of the Pre-Raphaelites's art, go to Stunners: The Pre-Raphaelite Women.
William Morris, one of the most inventive geniuses in modern history, soon became the driving force behind the Arts & Crafts movement. A Socialist in his politics, he sincerely believed that society needed to return to pre-Industrial Revolution times and that handcrafted objects for daily living could not only restore beauty to functional items, but be affordable to the masses. An excellent site, Morris & Co., discusses the William Morris Company and its evolution.
His efforts and those of his circle encompassed everything from bookbinding to wallpaper. Their influence spread to architecture, fabric, furniture and pottery. Their results were stunning, and captivated both European and American buyers. An incredibly beautiful example of their work in book production can be seen at Octavo Digital Guide. This is the famous Kelmscott Chaucer, arguably the most famous and most expensive book that was "never read." Unfortunately, making these things by hand caused them to be far too expensive for the lower classes to purchase. The market consisted of the wealthy - and, of course, machinery became necessary to keep up with the demand.
As the Movement spread to the United States, fewer artists and designers disdained machinery, but seemed rather to embrace the best qualities of manufacturing. Thus true democratization of the product returned to the Movement. By utilizing mass production, for example, almost everyone could afford Stickley furniture. Arts & Crafts-style bungalows could be ordered from the Sears catalog.
Today a resurgence in the popularity of Arts & Crafts style has driven prices back out of the reach of the "masses." Recently, two Pre-Raphaelite chairs designed by William Morris in 1856 were purchased by the Delaware Art Museum for $550,000 apiece!
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