V&A – serie

Cut Out presents the previously untold relationship between photography, feminist art and collage, from the 19th century to the present day. Female artists have long employed collage to reflect the ways in which identity is often constructed from conflicting, contrasting and contradictory parts. Cut Out explores the relationship between photography and feminist collage, foregrounding the use of femmage – a radical reclaiming of craft traditionally associated with women – as a resilient method within feminist and political art. Cut Out presents an expanded definition of collage and cutting techniques to encompass photomontage, assemblage and the photogram. Tracing a lineage from nineteenth-century makers to contemporary practitioners, we encounter Victorian album makers; Modernist, Surrealist and Dadaist innovators; and radical, second-wave feminist artists. Thematic sections include profiles written by expert contributors on key individuals, including Hannah Höch, Dora Maar and Lorna Simpson. Looking to the future as much as the past, Cut Out also reveals how the pioneering work of contemporary and digital artists continues to subvert dominant narratives and foster ever-expanding forms of photographic collage. At a moment when photography and its history are being actively contested and reappraised, Cut Out is a reminder of its political power.

A beautiful visual reference of William Morris’s extensive range of textile and wallpaper designs, drawn from the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. William Morris (1834–1896) was a pioneer of the Arts and Crafts Movement and one of the most influential designers of all time. This extensively illustrated sourcebook brings together nearly 400 of William Morris’s ingenious textile and wallpaper patterns, arranged decade by decade, while offering a fascinating overview of Morris’s work and a compelling glimpse into his life. Featured are famous designs such as Trellis (1862), Honeysuckle (1876) and Strawberry Thief (1883), alongside lesser-known patterns by Morris and Morris & Co. designers including May Morris, Kate Faulkner and John Henry Dearle. This invaluable visual reference will inspire and inform designers, illustrators and Morris aficionados everywhere, as well as anyone interested in visual and material culture.

A richly illustrated sourcebook of two-dimensional pattern and three dimensional ornamentation, presenting more than 1,000 historic and contemporary examples from around the world. The wealth of surface pattern and three-dimensional ornamentation in the many objects that enrich our lives is testament to the inventiveness of designers and craftspeople around the globe and throughout history. This richly illustrated, easy-to-navigate sourcebook presents more than 1,000 historic and contemporary examples of pattern and ornamentation from around the world, each one succinctly identified and explained. Arranged thematically, it is unique among pattern books, as it includes examples not only of surface pattern but also of three-dimensional ornamentation and embellishment. Two-dimensional pattern is ubiquitous, no matter what the age of an object or where it was created. From Japanese kimono and William Morris fabrics to Chinese porcelain and contemporary furniture, such works reveal humanity’s unceasing desire to combine pattern with design. Just as prevalent are examples of three-dimensional embellishments that go far beyond the requirements of their practical use: an acrylic handbag has a carved motif of insects and wildflowers, a cobalt-blue pottery ewer has a dragon’s-head spout and an early 19th-century fruit plate is shaped like a seashell. Designers working today are as fascinated and inspired by pattern and ornament as they have always been. This expertly compiled selection will appeal to designers, artists, illustrators and other creatives from all disciplines as well as anyone interested in visual and material culture.

William Morris’s interests were wide-ranging: he was a poet, writer, political and social activist, conservationist and businessman, as well as a brilliant and original designer and manufacturer. This book explores the balance between Morris’s various spheres of activity and influence, places his art in the context of its time and explores his ongoing and far-reaching legacy. A pioneer of the Arts & Crafts Movement, William Morris (1834–1896) is one of the most influential designers of all time. Morris turned the tide of Victorian England against an increasingly industrialized manufacturing process towards a rediscovered respect for the skill of the maker. Morris’s whole approach still resonates today, and his designs are popular and much admired. Published to mark the 125th anniversary of Morris’s death, this book includes contributions from a wide range of Morris experts, with chapters on painting, church decoration and stained glass, interior decoration, furniture, tiles and tableware, wallpaper, textiles, calligraphy and publishing. Additional materials include a contextualized chronology of Morris’s life and a list of public collections around the world where examples of Morris’s work may be seen today. This study is a comprehensive, fully illustrated exploration of a great thinker and artist, and essential reading for anyone interested in the history of design.With 668 illustrations in colour A Crafts Council Best Craft Book of the Year

A visual analysis of the colours used in furnishing fabrics and wallpapers from the 15th century to now, providing inspiration for designers. This simply structured and highly original book analyses the palettes that have been used by designers in the creation of furnishing fabrics and wallpapers from the 15th century to the present. The colours used in each pattern are presented in a simple proportional grid, giving a clear understanding of hues that have been expertly combined at different periods to create the designs we continue to admire and emulate. Spectrum opens with a brief introduction by interior design expert Ros Byam Shaw, exploring the history of colour as used in interiors. The fabrics and wallpapers that follow are arranged chronologically. Each is reproduced on its own double-page spread, and is accompanied by a brief narrative-style caption that provides information about each fabric or wallpaper and its significance in the context of interior design. Unique in such a book are the colour grids shown beside each pattern, in which the colours in the original piece are shown in proportion to their use, and with their CMYK references to enable designers to replicate these colours in their own work.

A celebration of the work and ambition of the women who were at the heart of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Women Pioneers of the Arts and Crafts Movement is a celebration of the work and ambition of the women who were at the heart of the most influential art and design movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It shines a light on the vital contribution of figures such as May Morris, Gertrude Jekyll, Annie Garnett and many others, and describes the Arts and Crafts Movement from the perspective of these women who worked against the odds as artists, makers, teachers, authors and entrepreneurs. Women of the era took part in, and often led, the founding of exhibitions, societies, art schools and small craft industries. Some were activists and social disruptors while using their skills and talents to make a living. This book highlights the versatility and range of these talented women, who worked across a host of disciplines, including textile design, embroidery, bookbinding, illustration, painting, enameling, stained glass, metalwork, furniture design and architecture. It is richly illustrated with a wide array of their work, much of it previously unpublished. Featuring objects from the V&A’s renowned Arts and Crafts collection, the book also includes key pieces from other museums and private collections across the UK.

The first fully illustrated and comprehensive introduction to May Morris's work as an artist, designer and embroiderer, published in association with the V&A. May Morris (1862–1938), younger daughter of William Morris, was a significant figure in the British Arts and Crafts movement and a pioneer of ‘art embroidery’. She ran the embroidery department of Morris & Co., as well as designing textiles, wallpapers and jewellery. May was also an influential teacher and lectured in the UK and America. May Morris: Arts & Crafts Designer is the first publication to present the full range of May Morris’s work and reveals her exceptional skill and originality. It draws together her designs, exquisite embroideries, watercolours, costume and jewellery from museums around the world, and in particular the rich collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the William Morris Gallery, London. The book contains more than 180 items in colour and detailed information on their materials and provenance compiled by leading experts. There are also new insights into May’s personal life and relationships, her social activism and her support for other craftswomen. This authoritative and illuminating study places May Morris, whose reputation has been overshadowed by that of her father, firmly among the leading British designer-makers of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Learn first words with William Morris' iconic designs in this beautifully illustrated board book. Starting with a for apple and ending with z for zebra, this is a stylish introduction to first words for very young children - the perfect gift for art and design-loving parents. Published in association with the V&A Museum, your purchase helps the V&A to enrich people's lives as the world's leading museum of art and design.

Learn first numbers with William Morris' iconic designs in this beautifully illustrated board book. Starting with one tree and ending with ten butterflies, this is a stylish introduction to counting for very young children - the perfect gift for art and design-loving parents. Published in association with the V&A Museum, your purchase helps the V&A to enrich people's lives as the world's leading museum of art and design.

Do you know why a chef's hat has 100 pleats? Or how many ways there are to tie a tie?Packed full of whacky facts and stunning clothes from designers and cultures around the world, as well as glorious illustrations featuring objects from the V&A, this book is a must-have for anyone who has ever wondered why we wear the clothes we do. Published in association with the V&A Museum, your purchase helps the V&A to enrich people's lives as the world's leading museum of art and design.

A beautifully presented survey of design and the applied arts, explored not by use, material, form or date – but by colourThe V&A Book of Colour in Design is attractively simple: a celebration and exploration of colour, as revealed through objects in the world-class collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Structured by colour, it offers fascinating insights into the choices made by designers and makers from across the world and throughout history. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction that considers the history, symbolism, and use of an individual colour. Objects – from items of jewelry, textiles, glassware and ceramics to furniture and more – are reproduced in a visual selection that explores the varied hues of every colour. However different objects within each section may be in their detail and meaning, they are united by their common colour, revealing surprising connections between them. Throughout, narrative captions bring together disparate items from across the V&A’s collection to explore the universal significance of colour in art and design. Beautifully designed, this highly visual, colour-led survey of design and the applied arts is a compelling sourcebook with broad appeal for anyone interested or involved in all aspects of visual culture.

William Morris's patterns are enduringly popular for their originality and colour, and have captured the imagination of countless designers and artists. This colouring book explores the intricate work of William Morris and his Arts & Crafts contemporaries and allows you to invent your own colourways to complete their patterns. - 45 patterns to color, interspersed by full-colour reproductions of the original designs - Organized into four sections Nature, Colour, Pattern, and Craft to highlight different aspects of the designs, and the crafts and skills behind them - Explores Morris's love of nature, his artistry, mastery of colour, and innovation in pattern design in concise introductory texts

Everywhere in the world, tiles add colour and decoration to the façades and interiors of buildings. Both functional and decorative, and found in a multitude of shapes, sizes and designs – ranging from complex geometrical Islamic patterns to figurative 17th-century Delftware – they are among the most varied ceramic products. This striking book gathers together a diverse collection of ceramic tiles, and explores their rich history, purpose and decorative qualities. An introduction traces the little-known history of tiles, from their earliest mass production in Europe in the 13th century to today, and presents the development of different types of tile. Throughout this stunning book, tiles in every variety of shape are organized chronologically to illustrate the evolution of styles. The Tile Book is luxuriously illustrated, with generous examples of individual tile types and their overall laid patterns exhibited over double-page spreads. Captions provide descriptions of each tile, with some detailing interesting locations, trends or influential designers. Interspersed in this invaluable sourcebook, are tiles shown in situ around the world and at different periods in their remarkable history. This book is a dazzling mosaic, with colours and patterns that will uplift and inspire.

Jewels and Jewellery surveys splendid early medieval pieces and superb examples of Renaissance, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and 21st-century jewellery. Exquisitely detailed photography reveals both rare and precious stones as well as the elaborate techniques of the jeweller’s craft such as chasing, enamelling and cameo. Claire Phillips considers the history of Western jewellery in three parts, first exploring the materials used by jewellers, then turning to the development of styles in jewellery from the Middle Ages to today, before exploring the ways in which jewellery has been hallmarked, distributed and worn over recent centuries. The book concludes with a glossary, bibliography and list of key designers. Showcasing pieces by Cartier, Tiffany and Liberty, this beautiful volume is the ultimate guide to the history of Western jewellery.

Even in the digital age, the printed poster retains an important, much-loved role in connecting with audiences in a way that both entertains and informs. The V&A was one of the first museums to start collecting posters and to recognize the importance of doing so. Far from ephemeral, posters are both a representation of the time in which they were produced and distributed and, in many instances, have shaped the societies in which they were seen. The story of the poster is both one of changing styles and new innovations in design, illustration and printing, and a visually compelling social history. The Poster brings together over 300 examples that tell a comprehensive visual history of poster design and the various ways the poster has been used to tell, to sell, to charm and to spur on change. Organized into seven thematic chapters that tell the story of the poster as a medium, each poster is accompanied by a concise commentary that explains the work in terms of its design, printing, content, message and the commercial, social or political impact it may have had. Featuring works by the masters of poster design that have become popular and highly collectible classics, charting the ebb and flow of styles such as Art Nouveau, Modernism, Art Deco, Psychedelia and Punk and featuring the nostalgic glow of muchloved brands as well as posters that shook and changed the world, The Poster will be an essential visual resource for graphic designers and illustrators – a reference for anyone with an interest in collecting posters and an engaging design and social history for all who appreciate this most popular of art forms.

Indian textile designs express dazzling inventiveness and creativity, from the woven silks of royalty to the simple block-printed patterns. This authoritative sourcebook overflows with colour and patterns to inspire and inform. The introduction gives an overview of Indian textiles, including methods by which they were made and their intended uses. The book is divided into three chapters defined by pattern style: Florals, Figurative and Geometric. Each comprises an introduction to the style’s history, and demonstrates the techniques of structure, surface and embellishment patterning. A wealth of cross-referencing by theme and process makes this a uniquely useful resource. Over 300 breathtaking and hugely varied designs are examined here in detail through close-up shots of the pattern and material alongside a thoughtful examination of the reverse of many fabrics, demonstrating different weaving techniques so that the reader can see precisely how the textile was made.

Silk has long captured the imagination of peoples round the globe, inspiring creativity in the making of luxurious textiles. This major new survey draws on the exceptional collections of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and explores tradition and innovation across the history and geography of silk production, celebrating the ingenuity and skill of designers and makers. Structured by technique, from weaving and knitting to dyeing, printing and embroidery, this compendium showcases a rich variety of artworks, furnishings and clothing, including fashions from recent designer catwalk shows in North America, Asia and Europe. Silk will inform every student, connoisseur and admirer of beautiful textiles.With 620 illustrations in colour

The story of the illustrated book from the earliest printed books to the present day, told through the collections of the V&A’s National Art Library. This is the story of the illustrated book, from the earliest printed examples to the present day, told through the collections of the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London – a library that was created to bring together examples of superlative book-making on almost every subject. Gathered here are some of the most influential, compelling and striking examples of the illustrated book, arranged thematically in chapters devoted to subjects such as art, literature, religion, architecture, natural history, fashion, and shopping. Brimming with innovative and beautiful examples, ranging from well-known titles, such as Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament and James Audubon’s Birds of America, to other wonderful but less familiar publications, this collection offers a fascinating overview of some of the finest illustrated books ever created – demonstrating their enduring appeal.

Exquisite yet too fragile to exhibit, one of the world’s greatest collections of autochromes – a pioneering colour photography process – is presented to a wide audience for the first time. Offering unprecedented access to the V&A’s collection of autochromes – one of the greatest collections of early colour photography in the world – Colour Mania presents this pioneering photographic process in its full, vibrant, wondrous and painterly beauty and provides a breath-taking view of the early 20th century in colour. Autochromes are so fragile and light sensitive that they cannot be displayed in public – this book presents the only chance to see the V&A’s internationally significant collection. Invented by the Lumière brothers – also pioneers of cinema – the autochrome was the first widely available colour photography process. Upon its commercial release in 1907, it was eagerly embraced by Pictorialist photographers and advocated by its leading member Alfred Stieglitz, who predicted ‘soon the world will be color-mad’. Photographed with great care for this book, the V&A’s abundant collection of autochromes is brought to the public for the very first time. Organized thematically and with in-depth sections focusing on the photographers who engaged with the process, Colour Mania is built upon the latest scholarship and research by Catlin Langford and includes insights into how these extraordinary photographs are being preserved for future generations. An opportunity to travel in time and understand a tour de force in photographic technology, Colour Mania will delight anyone who desires to experience the past in colour.

An engaging introduction to the work and the world of pioneering photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, Arresting Beauty presents more than 120 images from the V&A’s collection, the largest holding of Cameron’s photographs in the world. Exploring her unique artistry, this book reaffirms her position as one of the most innovative and influential photographers of all time.

A magnificent catalogue of the V&A's collection of twentieth-century and contemporary British ceramics. Contemporary ceramicists working in Britain, including Rachel Kneebone, Grayson Perry and Edmund de Waal, are part of a broader international group of artists experimenting with clay, considering how it intersects and works in dialogue with other art forms and with culture at large. Recent experimentation with the medium owes much to the rapid evolution of ceramics into an expanded field, and to the work of mid- to late 20th-century potters and their reinvention of ceramics as a radical and contemporary art practice. The pioneering methods and rethinking of form in the work of exponents such as Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew, Lucie Rie, Hans Coper and Alan Caiger-Smith – whose reference points were drawn from East Asia, Africa, the ancient Mediterranean and the Middle East as much as from their own heritage – continue to influence and inspire contemporary makers. In his introductory essay, Alun Graves, Senior Curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, provides all lovers of ceramics – collectors, practitioners, historians and those interested in modern and contemporary art and crafts – with the historical context, documenting the medium’s shift into an expressive, and sometimes interventionist, art form. An extensive visual catalogue, Studio Ceramics is the primary reference for 20th-century and contemporary British studio ceramics, and a record of the national collection of British ceramics held at the V&A.

A celebration of linocut’s most influential practitioners as well as the schools and workshops around the world that have championed and developed the printing technique as an art form. Easier to work and cheaper than wood, linoleum has long enabled artists to create affordable and versatile colour prints. This beautifully illustrated book explores the origins of linocut and presents the pioneering figures who embraced and transformed the printmaking technique, from Claude Flight, Sybil Andrews, Edward Bawden and Cyril Power to modern and contemporary artists such as Leopoldo Méndez, Tayo Quaye and Grayson Perry, and many more. An accessible and eye-catching introduction to the distinctive aesthetics of linocut, it will appeal to those with a love of modern and contemporary art as well as practising artists everywhere.

A contemporary look at Cecil Beaton’s portraits of the Royal Family and how they helped create the public face of the House of Windsor. Cecil Beaton: The Royal Portraits looks back in time to tell a very modern tale: the creation of a public image. Offering a fresh appraisal of Beaton’s portraits of the British royal family, the book explores not only the finished images but also the sittings in which they were created, revealing Beaton’s central role in shaping the public face of the House of Windsor and the ways in which he collaborated with his subjects. Organised chronologically, from the 1930s to the 1970s, each of the book's four chapters comprises an introductory essay, plates with extended captions, and one or two in-depth analyses of a particular sitting. Throughout, a variety of contextual material – contact sheets, test shots, out-takes, sketches, letters, journals, tear-sheets – helps build a detailed picture of Beaton's working methods, the relationships he developed with his sitters, and how the eventual portraits were received. Drawing on the Victoria and Albert Museum’s unparalleled collection of Beaton’s photographs, Cecil Beaton: The Royal Portraits will appeal not only to those interested in the photographer and his work, but also to anyone for whom the distinction between the private world and the public face of the royal family remains a source of fascination.

The first in an exciting and inspirational new V&A sketchbook series that explores the sketching processes and techniques of artists from the 16th century to the present day. Artists have been using sketchbooks for many hundreds of years, particularly as part of the preparatory process that leads to the creation of great works. Selected by curators from the extensive sketchbook collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and organized chronologically by artist, The Artist’s Sketchbook introduces around eighty profiles from different eras and movements, including John Constable, Beatrix Potter, Paul Nash, and Julie Verhoeven. Each profile includes a short text on the artist and their use of the sketchbook. The book brims with exquisite examples of drawings from life and the imagination, material experimentation and the planning of greater works. With rich, detailed photography, the sketchbooks are shown to be very much works of art in themselves, with open-book shots and selected covers reproduced as well as single pages. The book also highlights less well-known names as well as unrecognized artists, mostly women, for whom sketchbooks provided a creative outlet. While working within the limits of the V&A collection, the selection includes sketchbooks from beyond Britain and Europe by drawing on expertise from across the museum. Just as artists do, some inevitably blur the line between art, design, and fashion. With an introduction by Jenny Gaschke, Senior Curator of Paintings and Drawings at the V&A, the book highlights the importance of sketching and the sketchbook throughout the history of art. Although not a practical guide to sketching techniques, it will nevertheless inspire the reader and appeal to anyone interested in the process of making art, and to those for whom sketching is a critical part of their own artistic practice.

An accessible, inspirational and engaging introductory survey of LGBTIQ+ photography, as told through the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Drawing on one of the oldest and largest photography collections in the world, this book offers an unprecedented view of photographic history through a queer lens. It includes a broad range of global LGBTIQ+ representation from the mid-19th century to now, presenting images from pioneering LGBTIQ+ photographers and subjects alongside work documenting activism and hard-won legal battles, over a century of performance and nightlife and diverse queer communities, collectives and subcultures. Following an introductory essay by Zorian Clayton, images are presented in six thematic chapters: Icons, Staged, Body, Liberty, Making a Scene and Beyond the Frame. Each chapter opens with a short introductory essay, followed by an extended plate section. Expanded captions highlight key images, and ‘artist in focus’ inserts draw on the work of selected photographers to illuminate particularly rich moments in LGBTIQ+ history. Bold proclamations of queer identity and community sit alongside personal explorations of self; documentation of struggle, joy and everyday life is considered side-by-side with performances and photographic fictions that continue to challenge the bounds of gender and sexuality. This vital, accessible volume offers an exciting, expansive appraisal of photography's role in expressing, documenting and celebrating queer life. It will be essential for all with an interest in the history of photography, but especially those with an interest in LGBTIQ+ history.

A new history of digital art from the 1960s to the present day, with decade-by-decade essays exploring evolving digital art practices, alongside interviews with artists, gallerists, museum curators and collectors. This is the global story of digital art from its earliest beginnings to the innovative work of today, encompassing wide-ranging, experimental practices, from computer-generated works on paper created by mathematicians, scientists, engineers, programmers and artists in the 1960s to interactive installations, virtual reality, net art and videogames. A collaborative, dynamic approach still characterizes the practice of today’s digital artists, who employ technology as a tool while examining its social, ethical and political impact. Digital Art: 1960s–Now delves into ideas of artificial intelligence, computer animation, simulation and cybernetics through the historic works of pioneering artists such as Analívia Cordeiro, Manfred Mohr, Vera Molnar and Frieder Nake, alongside renowned contemporary practitioners including Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Ibiye Camp, Sarah Friend, Trevor Paglen and Anna Ridler. Decade-by-decade essays by leading authorities explore changing digital art practices. Interviews and discussions with prominent artists, gallerists, museum curators and collectors at the forefront of the discipline offer further insights in this absorbing illustrated study of the evolution of digital art and its future possibilities.

A celebration of the rich 20th- and 21st-century tradition of screenprinting as a means of artistic expression, from its commercial origins in 1920s America to the limited-edition screenprints of the post-war period and today, by artists such as Andy Warhol, Bridget Riley and Damien Hirst. Screenprints: A History, the first title in the V&A's new series on the history and practice of printmaking, is a celebration of the fine-art applications of this versatile medium, from the commercial origins of the screenprinting process in 1920s America, its pivotal role in 1960s Pop and Op Art among artists such as Andy Warhol and Bridget Riley, through to its adoption by Damien Hirst and the YBAs of the 1990s, and its enduring presence in contemporary art. This beautifully designed, strikingly illustrated introduction will appeal to art lovers and practising artists everywhere. The origins of the screenprinting process are introduced through early artistic precursors, such as the stencil and pochoir printing in the making of Henri Matisse’s Jazz, and other artists’ books. Screenprinting became one of the most important techniques in the rise of artists’ limited-edition fine art prints from the 1960s onwards, seen here in the work of notable figures such as Roy Lichtenstein and Eduardo Paolozzi, and contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst, who have variously engaged with the medium’s commercial origins and, conversely, its capacity for a hand-made aesthetic. Special focus is given to lesser-known names who pioneered the use of the screenprint in fine art in the UK, the USA and Europe, including Francis Carr and Ben Shahn, while tracing its global spread through Africa, the Caribbean and Australasia. An illustrated, step-by-step guide to the practical process further enriches this multifaceted account. The democratic medium has further lent itself to spontaneous graphic protest, notably in the Atelier Populaire posters made in Paris in 1968, featured here and embodying screenprinting’s unique qualities, rich colours and graphic impact.

A series of fascinating, well-illustrated biographies that offer insights into the women and men whose work in the applied arts represents the very pinnacle of their craft. This fascinating, richly illustrated anthology of the lives and careers of some of the most accomplished craftspeople represented in the V&A’s collection celebrates the pinnacle of creative accomplishment. Their pioneering designs, technique and aesthetic flair resulted in masterpieces that changed the nature and direction of the decorative arts forever. Arranged chronologically from the Renaissance to now, the makers’ biographies are contextualized by thematic introductions to the history of the decorative arts. The book features forty illustrated biographies, ranging from furniture makers such as Thomas Chippendale to woodcarvers such as Grinling Gibbons, textile artists including Gunta Stölzl and ceramicists such as Lucie Rie, alongside goldsmiths, enamellists and many more. It also explores less familiar names who made a significant contribution to their field, brought together by their extraordinary skill and innovative use of technology and materials. While maintaining a focus on makers in Europe and North America, the book surveys a range of international influences in the biographies and thematic introductions. These thematic introductions also explore important moments in the history of the decorative arts, ranging from early modern craft and industrialization through to the Arts and Crafts Movement, modernism and the post-war craft revival. This beautiful, expertly written book will appeal to anyone interested in visual culture.

A fresh, expansive, unflinching and informed exploration of objects and what they can tell us about human history. Every culture in history has imbued certain objects with special value, constructing systems and narratives to support their appreciation. Even our pre-human ancestors left behind evidence of collecting. Objects, then, tell important stories — about humanity, creativity, what we need, and about who we really are or wish to be. In Objects & Us, renowned curator and cultural historian Gus Casely-Hayford identifies twelve human needs, each chronicled in its own chapter, and pairs them with a variety of objects from the last six centuries, asking why these things and the human drive for creativity are important. Through a surprising and revealing selection of objects, from a carved wooden spoon to a stately silk dress, he identifies significant moments of cultural and creative innovation and expands them into larger stories that tell us why we design, make and collect. His aim is to show how the products of art and design are not simply evidence of human history, but are in fact what make us human in the first place. Objects & Us takes the reader through the world of both commonplace and exceptional objects from all corners of the globe, showing how they reveal our histories, our needs, our desires and our priorities, as well as the way we live our lives.