Gimson and the Barnsleys
By Mary Greensted.
‘Wonderful furniture of a commonplace kind’ is the young Ernest Gimson’s description of the contributions of his friend, William Lethaby, to the 1890 Arts and Crafts Exhibition. The description was in a way prophetic and can be aptly applied to the subsequent work of Gimson and the two Barnsley brothers.
After training as architects and coming under the influence of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement, Gimson and the Barnsleys gradually became involved with furniture design and the revival of traditional crafts. This turning point in their careers required a move to the countryside to achieve its full expression, and their arrival in the Cotswolds in 1893 led to a growing absorption of local traditions and materials in their work.
Although for most of their careers the three men worked as separate individuals, they were able to develop a unique and distinctive style of furniture. They continued to practice as architects whilst Gimson was an especially prolific designer, working additionally for plasterwork, metalwork and embroidery, with a flourishing workshop.
The aims of the Arts and Crafts Movement have been written about at length by many of its members. Gimson and the Barnsleys left no written testament yet their lives were enriched by their love of nature and of rural pursuits and fulfilled by the enjoyment derived from their work, with its emphasis on handwork, quality and simple design, in the true spirit of the Movement.
This fascinating account of their careers traces the development of their work and its influence on the twentieth century from their successors, Peter Waals, Edward Barnsley and Gordon Russell, to the craftsmen and furniture designers of today.
Simply the best book on the subject, packed full of photographs.
First edition hardback in fair condition.
Now sadly out of print. £48
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