Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo English artist and architect Date of Birth: 12.12.1851 Country: Great Britain

Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo Biography

Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo was an English artist and architect who played a significant role in the Arts and Crafts movement. He believed in the synthesis of art and craftsmanship, a concept that later manifested in the Art Nouveau style.

Born in London, Mackmurdo studied under architect James Brooks. He was heavily influenced by the aesthetics of William Blake and the ideas of Christopher Dresser in his early years. While in Oxford, Mackmurdo attended lectures by John Ruskin, which had a decisive impact on his artistic development. He accompanied Ruskin on a journey to Italy, where he studied and sketched the masterpieces of classical Renaissance architecture.

Upon his return from Italy, Mackmurdo opened his own architectural workshop in 1875. In 1877, he actively participated in the establishment of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, where he met William Morris and discovered a remarkable similarity in their views. Like Morris, Mackmurdo believed in the future of art lying in the synthesis of different art forms, and he believed that there should be no distinction between the words "artist" and "master."

In 1882, together with artists Herbert Horne and Selwyn Image, Mackmurdo founded the Century Guild Studio, following the traditions of William Morris's workshop. The studio produced decorative art objects and interior elements such as furniture, fabrics, and wallpapers. The artists themselves were the main suppliers of ideas and developers. To promote their ideas, the Century Guild published a magazine called "Hobby Horse," in which Mackmurdo served as editor and graphic artist. As a friend of Walter Crane, Mackmurdo actively participated in the work of the Society for Art and Crafts that Crane had established.

The best and most comprehensive collection of Mackmurdo's works can be found at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, where the artist bequeathed a significant part of his legacy, including graphic works, furniture, and sketches of wallpapers and fabrics.