large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb_40
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb
English
6138
Now the origin of this art was the necessity that the workman felt for variety in his work, and though the beauty produced by this desire was a great gift to the world, yet the obtaining variety and pleasure in the work by the workman was a matter of more importance still, for it stamped all labour with the impress of pleasure. NOW THE ORIGIN OF THIS ART WAS THE NECESSITY THAT THE WORKMAN FELT FOR VARIETY IN HIS WORK AND THOUGH THE BEAUTY PRODUCED BY THIS DESIRE WAS A GREAT GIFT TO THE WORLD YET THE OBTAINING VARIETY AND PLEASURE IN THE WORK BY THE WORKMAN WAS A MATTER OF MORE IMPORTANCE STILL FOR IT STAMPED ALL LABOUR WITH THE IMPRESS OF PLEASURE
aid to exist, and is, indeed, so foreign from our epoch that I fear there are some who will find it difficult to understand what I have to say on the subject, which I nevertheless must say, since it is really a most important one. I mean that side of art which is, or ought to be, done by the ordinary workman while he is about his ordinary work, and which has got to be called, very properly, Popular Art. This art, I repeat, no longer exists now, having been killed by commercialism. But from the beginning of man’s contest with Nature till the rise of the present capitalistic system, it was alive, and generally flourished. While it lasted, everything that was made by man was adorned by man, just as everything made by Nature is adorned by her. The craftsman, as he fashioned the thing he had under his hand, ornamented it so naturally and so entirely without conscious effort, that it is often difficult to distinguish where the mere utilitarian part of his work ended and the ornamental began. M THAT IT CAN SCARCELY BE SAID TO EXIST AND IS INDEED SO FOREIGN FROM MY EPOCH THAT I FEAR THERE ARE SOME WHO WILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT WHICH I NEVERTHELESS MUST SAY SINCE IT IS REALLY A MOST IMPORTANT ONE I MEAN THAT SIDE OF ART WHICH IS OR OUGHT TO BE DONE BY THE ORDINARY WORKMAN WHILE HE IS ABOUT HIS ORDINARY WORK AND WHICH HAS GOT TO BE CALLED VERY PROPERLY POPULAR ART THIS ART I REPEAT NO LONGER EXISTS NOW HAVING BEEN KILLED BY COMMERCIALISM BUT FROM THE BEGINNING OF MAN'S CONTEST WITH NATURE TILL THE RISE OF THE PRESENT CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM IT WAS ALIVE AND GENERALLY FLOURISHED WHILE IT LASTED EVERYTHING THAT WAS MADE BY MAN WAS ADORNED BY MAN JUST AS EVERYTHING MADE BY NATURE IS ADORNED BY HER THE CRAFTSMAN AS HE FASHIONED THE THING HE HAD UNDER HIS HAND ORNAMENTED IT SO NATURALLY AND SO ENTIRELY WITHOUT CONSCIOUS EFFORT THAT IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH WHERE THE MERE UTILITARIAN PART OF HIS WORK ENDED AND THE ORNAMENTAL BEGAN
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb
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