Voysey was considered a pioneer of modern architecture, a label he rejected with some irritation. He saw himself as a follower of Pugin and Ruskin, not a precursor to Le Corbusier. The modernists claimed him anyway.
Key facts
- Lived
- 1857–1941, British
- Movements
Biography
He was born in Hessle, Yorkshire, in 1857, the son of Charles Voysey, founder of the Theistic Church, whose theological unorthodoxy got him expelled from the Church of England. The younger Voysey was articled to the architect J.P. Seddon in 1874, then worked as assistant to George Devey, one of the leading country-house designers of the period. By 1882 he had his own London practice. His early commissions were not buildings but wallpapers and textiles: flowing patterns in pastel colours with flattened silhouettes of birds, hearts and flowers, published in The Studio magazine and quickly taken up across Europe.
The houses followed. Broadleys near Windermere (1898), The Orchard at Chorley Wood (1899, his own home) and The Pastures in Leicestershire (1901) shared a vocabulary of white roughcast walls, steep pitched roofs, massive chimneys and long, low interiors with clean horizontal lines. He designed every detail, down to the furniture, door handles and fireplace surrounds. Nothing was left to chance or to someone else's taste.
After 1914 he received no major building commissions. He continued designing wallpapers, fabrics and metalwork, published two books (Reason as the Basis of Art in 1906 and Individuality in 1915), and accumulated honours: Master of the Art Workers' Guild in 1924, Fellow of the RIBA in 1927, Royal Designer for Industry in 1936. He died in Winchester in 1941, at eighty-three, still insisting he was not a modernist.
Timeline
- 1857Born in Hessle, Yorkshire, the son of the Reverend Charles Voysey, founder of the Theistic Church.
- 1874At 17, was articled to the architect J.P. Seddon in London, beginning his formal training in architecture and design.
- 1882Set up his own architectural practice in London at 25, initially gaining attention for his wallpaper and textile designs influenced by Arthur Mackmurdo and William Morris.
- 1895At 38, his domestic architecture was widely publicised in British and European journals, making him one of the most influential Arts and Crafts designers on the continent.
- 1899Designed and built his own family home, The Orchard, in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire at 42, a house that exemplified his principles of simplicity and honest construction.
- 1906Published 'Reason as the Basis of Art' at 49, setting out his design philosophy rooted in the teachings of Pugin and Ruskin.
- 1936At 79, was elected a Royal Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts in London, one of the first designers to receive this distinction.
- 1941Died at 83 in Winchester, Hampshire, having designed no major buildings after 1914 but remaining a revered figure in British design.
Notable Works
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Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
Charles francis annesley voysey?
Charles Francis Annesley Voysey's only factory design was for the wallpaper manufacturer, Sanderson & Sons, in Chiswick, London. Constructed in 1902, it was faced with white-glazed and Staffordshire blue bricks; the piers acted as ventilating shafts, supporting the floors and roof.Charles f. annesley voysey?
C. F. A. Voysey was photographed in the study of his home, The Orchard, in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, in the 1900s. The walls were papered with one of his designs.What art movement was Charles Francis Annesley Voysey part of?
Charles Francis Annesley Voysey was associated with Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts.What is Charles Francis Annesley Voysey known for?
Voysey is known for his architecture, wallpaper, and textile designs. His houses, such as Broadleys and The Orchard, featured white roughcast walls, steep pitched roofs, and long, low interiors. He designed every detail of his houses, including the furniture and door handles.What was Charles Francis Annesley Voysey's art style?
Voysey worked in the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements. His wallpaper and textile designs featured flowing patterns in pastel colours with flattened silhouettes of birds, hearts, and flowers. His architectural designs incorporated clean horizontal lines and carefully considered details.Who was Charles Francis Annesley Voysey?
Charles Francis Annesley Voysey was an architect and designer who is considered a pioneer of modern architecture, though he himself rejected this label. He viewed himself as a follower of Pugin and Ruskin, rather than a precursor to figures such as Le Corbusier. Voysey's father was Charles Voysey, founder of the Theistic Church.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Charles Francis Annesley Voysey.
- [1] museum Art Institute of Chicago Used for: museum holdings.
- [2] book Mary Greensted, The Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain (Shire History) Used for: biography.
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