Walter Crane
Crane heard William Morris lecture on Art and Socialism in 1884[1] and became a committed socialist on the spot. From then on he divided his time between designing wallpapers for the drawing rooms of the wealthy and drawing cartoons for Justice, Commonweal and The Clarion, the socialist newspapers of the day. He saw no contradiction: good design was a political act, and capitalism produced ugly objects.
Biography
He began as a children's book illustrator, apprenticed to the wood engraver W.J. Linton. His Toy Books for the publisher Routledge, produced from 1865[1] onward, used flat areas of colour, strong outlines and decorative borders influenced by Japanese woodblock prints and the Pre-Raphaelites. They were among the first mass-produced children's books to treat illustration as a design problem rather than an afterthought.
During a lecture tour of the United States he spoke in favour of clemency for the anarchists sentenced to death after the Haymarket Affair. His wealthy American patrons cancelled engagements. Crane did not retract.
He became Vice President of the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union, a movement promoting loose-fitting clothing in opposition to tight Victorian corsetry. He wrote The Claims of Decorative Art, arguing that decorative art was not a lesser form. He was Art Director of the Art Workers' Guild and the first president of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society.
He wanted to be taken seriously as a painter of allegorical canvases, but the galleries would not exhibit them. The children's books and the socialist cartoons are what lasted. Morris would have appreciated the irony.
Timeline
- 1845Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, the second son of the portrait painter Thomas Crane.
- 1859At 14, was apprenticed to the wood engraver W.J. Linton in London, where he studied the Italian masters and the work of the Pre-Raphaelites.
- 1865Began his celebrated collaboration with the colour printer Edmund Evans in London at 20, producing two to three illustrated toy books of nursery rhymes and fairy tales each year.
- 1871Met William Morris at 26 in London, forming a close friendship and a shared commitment to socialism and the unity of art and craft.
- 1888At 43, served as Master of the Art Workers' Guild in London and co-founded the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, becoming its first president.
- 1894Collaborated with William Morris at 49 on the page decorations for 'The Story of the Glittering Plain', published by the Kelmscott Press in London.
- 1898Appointed principal of the Royal College of Art in South Kensington, London at 53, the culmination of a decade of art education leadership.
- 1915Died at 69 in Horsham, West Sussex, remembered as one of the most influential figures in the Arts and Crafts movement.
Notable Works
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Walter Crane prints
Hand-finished archival prints from Walter Crane's body of work.
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See all Walter Crane prints →Frequently Asked Questions
How did walter crane die?
Walter Crane died in 1915[1] at the age of 70.What was walter crane known for?
Walter Crane is known for his children's book illustrations and socialist cartoons. His Toy Books for the publisher Routledge, produced from 1865[1] onward, used flat areas of colour, strong outlines and decorative borders influenced by Japanese woodblock prints and the Pre-Raphaelites.Where did walter crane live?
The biography does not contain specific information about where Walter Crane lived. However, it does mention that he designed wallpapers for the drawing rooms of the wealthy and drew cartoons for socialist newspapers.Who is walter crane?
Walter Crane was a committed socialist who heard William Morris lecture on Art and Socialism in 1884[1]. From then on, he divided his time between designing wallpapers for the drawing rooms of the wealthy and drawing cartoons for socialist newspapers. He saw no contradiction, believing that good design was a political act and that capitalism produced ugly objects.Who was walter crane?
Walter Crane was a committed socialist who heard William Morris lecture on Art and Socialism in 1884[1]. From then on, he divided his time between designing wallpapers for the drawing rooms of the wealthy and drawing cartoons for socialist newspapers. He saw no contradiction, believing that good design was a political act and that capitalism produced ugly objects.What medium did walter crane use?
Walter Crane was apprenticed to the wood engraver W.J. Linton. His Toy Books used flat areas of colour, strong outlines and decorative borders influenced by Japanese woodblock prints and the Pre-Raphaelites.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Walter Crane.
- [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Walter Crane Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
- [2] book Howard Simon, 500 Years of Illustration Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
- [3] book Morris, William;Kelvin, Norman, Morris, William;Kelvin, Norman - The Collected Letters of William Morris, Volume III _ 1889-1892 Used for: biography, museum holdings, stylistic analysis.
- [4] book Engen, Rodney K, Pre-Raphaelite prints : the graphic art of Millais, Holman Hunt, Rossetti and their followers Used for: biography.
- [5] book Mary Greensted, The Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain (Shire History) Used for: biography, museum holdings, stylistic analysis.
- [6] book Thomas, Zoë, Women Art Workers and the Arts and Crafts Movement Used for: museum holdings.
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