Publisher's Synopsis
The American Arts and Crafts movement inspired designers and artisans to move beyond the hard, glossy, mass-produced tiles of the nineteenth century. As a result, artists began to explore the endless possibilities for adding to the decorative beauty of rooms with excellently decorated handcrafted tiles. A new demand for colour in architecture supported their efforts to produce tiles for walls and floors, friezes, panels, murals, and even entire rooms. Each of the sixteen tile makers represented in the Two Red Roses Collection (including Grueby, William Morris, Newcomb, Paul Revere Pottery, and Rookwood) sought to balance the ideals of fine design and craftsmanship with the pressures of efficient production and financial viability. Profusely illustrated, Arts and Crafts Tile thoroughly documents the Two Red Roses Foundation collection. An appendix provides concise histories of each of the tile companies and the talented men and women who designed and crafted these remarkable works of art.