This is volume one in a four-volume edition of primary source materials that document the histories of design across the long nineteenth century. Each volume is arranged by appropriate sub-themes and it is the first set of primary sources to be gathered together in this comprehensive and accessible format.

Design refers to more than simply products and personalities or even cultural ideas, it involves consideration of ways of design thinking and applications as well as the philosophies and the other disciplines that impinge upon it. Here, the first volume discusses the theories and discourses that underpinned nineteenth-century design, ranging from design reform to aesthetics, and from the question of ornament to design education.

The volumes will be of interest to a range of scholars and students, including those in art and design history, visual culture, and nineteenth-century material culture. They will also be of interest to a broad range of scholars working in areas including aesthetics, gender, politics and philosophy.

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Book Extracts

Nineteenth-Century Design Theories and Discourses (Primary Sources)

Volume 1 – Theories and Discourses

 

Part 1. Beauty and Aesthetics

1. Archibald Alison, ‘On the Influence of Design Upon the Beauty of Form’ Essays on the Nature and Principles of Taste, (1790), 4th Edition, II, Part One (Edinburgh: Bell 1815), extract, pp. 58-64. 

2. Basil Barrett, ‘A Definition of Beauty’, Pretensions to A Final Analysis of the Nature and Origin of Sublimity, Style, Beauty, Genius, and Taste (London: John Murray, 1812), pp. 85-90. 

3. John Ruskin, ‘The Nature of Gothic’, The Stones of Venice, Vol Ii, Ch. 6 (London: Smith, Elder, and Co., 1853), extract, pp. 165-167. 

4. Patrick Geddes, ‘The Conditions of Design and Art Criticism’, Industrial Exhibitions and Modern Progress (Edinburgh: D. Douglas, 1887), pp. 42-48. 

5. Alfred C. Haddon, ‘Application of Biological Deductions to Design’, Evolution in Art as Illustrated by the Life-Histories of Designs (London: W. Scott, 1895), pp. 308-318. 

6. Walter Crane, ‘Of the Influence of Modern Social and Economic Conditions on the Sense of Beauty’, Ideals in Art: Papers Theoretical, Practical, Critical (London: Bell, 1905), pp. 76-87.

 

Part 2. Taste

7. Joseph Woods, An Essay on Modern Theories of Taste (London: The Architectural Society, 1808), extract, pp. 40-44. 

8. George Wallis, ‘Art Education for the People’: ‘Improvement of Popular Taste in the Fine Arts, Through Their Application to Industrial Purposes,’ The People’s Journal, 3, 1847, pp. 9-11. 

9. John Bascom, Lecture X, ‘Things That Mislead Taste’, Aesthetics, Or The Science of Beauty (Boston: Crosby and Nichols, 1862), extract, pp. 144-148. 

10. J. J. Stevenson, ‘On the Recent Reaction of Taste in English Architecture’, Architect and Building News, 20 June 1874, pp. 9-11. 

11. G. - L., [E. F. Gladstone-Lingham] ‘Common Sense’, The Science of Taste: Being A Treatise on its Principles by G. L. With Illustrations by the Author (London: Edward Stanford, 1879), extract, pp. 128-132. 

 

Part 3. Ornament 

12. [Anon], ‘on Ornament, Especially Referring to Woven Fabrics’ Journal of Design and Manufactures, I, (London: Chapman and Hall, 1849), pp. 56-58. 

13. [Anon] ‘Which Direction Is Ornamental Art Likely to Take in the Country, Toward Elaboration Or Simplicity?’ Journal of Design and Manufactures, VI, (London: Chapman and Hall 1852), pp.135-137.

14. Ralph N. Wornum, Analysis of Ornament. The Characteristics of Styles. An Introduction to the Study of the History of Ornamental Art ... Forth Edition (London: Chapman & Hall, 1873), extract, pp. 1-5. 

15. Christopher Dresser, Studies in Design for House Decorators, Designers, and Manufacturers (London: Cassell, Peter and Galpin, 1874), pp. 3-8. 

16. Lewis Foreman Day, ‘The Use in Ornament’, Every-Day Art: Short Essays on the Arts Not Fine (London: B.T. Batsford, 1882), pp. 69-86. 

17. Lewis Foreman Day, ‘What Ornament Is’, Nature and Ornament (London: Batsford, 1908), pp. 1-5. 

 

Part 4. Design Reform 

18. Henry Morley ‘A House Full of Horrors’ Household Words, VI, 4, December 1852, pp. 265-270. 

19. Argus, [F.J. Prouting] A Mild Remonstrance Against the Taste-Censorship At Marlborough House, in Reference to Manufacturing Ornamentation and Decorative Design (London: Houlston & Stoneman, 1853) Part I, pp. 17-21 

20. Richard Redgrave, On the Necessity of Principles in Teaching Design: Being An Address ... October 1853 (London: Chapman & Hall, 1853), extract, pp. 30-32. 

21. William Burges, ‘Introduction’, Art Applied to Industry: A Series of Lectures(Oxford: John Henry and James Parker, London 1865), pp. 1-12. 

22. [Anon], ‘Rustic Theory of Industrial Art’, The Architect, 14 April 1877, P. 239.

23. Edward John Poynter, Ten Lectures on Art (London: Chapman and Hall, 1880), extract, pp. 14-18. 

24. William Tait Ross, The Fine Arts and Arts of Design, Their Origin, Nature and Influence: With An Essay on Recreations, Ancient and Modern, Public and Private(Glasgow: Maclehose & Sons, 1885), pp. 66-86 

 

Part 5. Exoticism and Otherness 

25. [Anon] ‘Indian Design and English Manufactures’, Birmingham Daily Post, Tuesday, 3 May 1870 .

26. Matthew Digby Wyatt, ‘Orientalism in European Industry’, Macmillan's Magazine, 21:126, 1870, pp. 551-556. 

27. Christopher Dresser, ‘Eastern Art and Its Influence on European Manufactures and Taste’ Journal of The Society of Arts, 22:1107, 6 February 1874, pp. 211-221. 

28. Jacob Falke, ‘Chinese and Japanese Art, and its Importance for Modern Art-Industry,’ The Workshop, 4:9, September 1871, pp. 129-32. 

29. Rutherford Alcock, ‘The Range and Scope of Japanese Art, and Its Chief Characteristics’ Art and Art Industries of Japan (London: Virtue & Co. 1878), pp. 13-19. 

30. Arthur Lasenby Liberty, ‘The Industrial Arts and Manufactures of Japan’, Journal of The Society of Arts, 38:1959 6 June 1890, pp. 673-684. 

31. [Anon] ‘Defects in Indian Art Ware’, Journal of Indian Art (and Industry), 15: 117, Jan 1913, pp. 48-50. 

32. Mabel Tuke Priestman, Handicrafts in the Home (Chicago, Mcclurg & Co; 1910) pp. 73-78. 

 

Part 6. State Intervention- Fostering Design 

33. [Anon] ‘State of the Arts in Reference to Manufactures’, Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal, 253, 3 December 1836, pp. 355-356, 386-87. 

34. Anon [J. A. Hammersley] ‘The Commercial Value of the Arts of Design’, London Pioneer, 4 June 1846, I, 6, pp. 94-5, 109-102. 

35. William Cooke-Taylor, ‘Notes on the Application of the Arts of Design on Manufacturing Industry in France’ Art Union, 9, 1847, pp. 41-44. 

36. George Wallis, ‘National Policy in Relation to Art as Applied to Manufactures’, Magazine of Art, Jan 1878, pp. 173-176. 

 

6.1 Invention/Copyright 

37. Report From the Select Committee on Copyright of Designs: Together With the Minutes of Evidence Taken Before Them, and An Appendix, and Index (London: House of Commons, 1840), pp. 38-42. 

38. W Cooke Taylor, ‘Copyright in Design’ The Art-Union, 3:27, April 1841, pp. 59-60. 

39. James Emerson Tennent, ‘Case of the Embroiderers and Tambour Workers’, A Treatise on the Copyright of Designs for Printed Fabrics: With Considerations on the Necessity of Its Extension: and Copious Notices of the State of Calico Printing in Belgium, Germany, and the States of the Prussian Commercial League (London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1841), pp. 69-74. 

40. [Anon] ‘Imitating A Registered Design’, The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent,Saturday, 24 March 1849; Issue 1518, P. 2. 

41. [Anon] ‘Alleged Infringement of A Registered Design’, Birmingham Daily Post, 1 February 1861.

 

6.2 Education/Teaching 

42. C. R. Cockerell, Evidence to the Report From The Select Committee on Arts and Their Connexion With Manufactures: With the Minutes of Evidence, Appendix and Index (London: House of Commons, 1836), pp.111-114. 

43. ‘Society for Promoting Practical Design. An Account of the Inaugural Meeting of the Society for Promoting Practical Design and Diffusing A Knowledge and Love of the Arts Among the People, Held At Exeter Hall, January 11th, 1838’, Journal of The American Institute, 4:3, 1838, pp.143-149. 

44. William Dyce, ‘Foreign Schools of Design’, Penny Magazine, 16 May 1840, pp. 190-91. 

45. George Wallis, ‘Artists and Academies- Artisans and Schools of Design’, People's Journal, 3, 1847, pp. 115- 117. 

46. [Richard H. Horne] ‘The Female School of Design in the Capital of the World’, Household Words /Conducted by Charles Dickens, 15 March 1851, pp. 577-580. 

47. Thomas D Acland, ‘The Position of Arts in Education’, Some Account of the Origin and Objects of the New Oxford Examinations for the Title of Associate in Arts and Certificates: for the Year 1858. 2nd Edition (London: J. Ridgway, 1858), pp. 27-32. 

48. William Morris, Evidence to Second Report of the Royal Commissioners on Technical Instruction (London: Printed by Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1884 pp. 150- 

49. John Charles Lewis Sparkes, ‘Help and Hindrances’, Schools of Art: Their Origin, History, Work and Influence (London: Clowes, 1884), pp. 116-125. 

50. F. C. Montague, and Bernhard Samuelson, Technical Education: A Summary of the Report of the Royal Commission Appointed to Inquire Into the State of Technical Education (London: Cassell, 1887), pp. 11-14.