Textiles are a natural extension of fine art for many painters, having much in common with print making techniques.

The postwar period in Britain was particularly rich in textile art with leading manufacturers commissioning artists like Barbara Hepworth and Graham Sutherland to produce innovative designs for them.

This new book, Artists’ Textiles, explores the history of this movement of artists into this area of applied art and discusses the way many avant garde artists embraced this medium with enthusiasm leading to striking and original textiles designs.

It has over 100 stunning new illustrations of textiles for fashion and furnishings designed by artists living or working in Britain for British companies during the period 1945-1970. This was a time of belief in ‘Art for the People’ in the new democratic spirit of Post-war Britain and has parallels in other media such as school prints.

A comprehensive introduction by Richard Chamberlain and Geoff Rayner puts the period in its context, giving an historical perspective and covering contemporary events such as the Painting Into Textiles exhibition at the ICA in 1953.

The final section of the book features an alphabetical biography of artists and manufacturers. It concentrates on the artists’ involvement with applied or decorative arts rather than a list of their fine art achievements.

The illustrations alone make this book essential for anybody with an interest in textile design.

Quick Facts
Title: Artists' Textiles in Britain 1945-1970

Editors - Geoffrey Rayner, Richard Chamberlain and
Annamarie Stapleton

Publisher: Antique Collectors Club

ISBN: 1851494324

Binding: Softback

Publication Date: March 2003

Number of Pages: 128

Price: £19.95

All information relates to the UK edition.

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Copyright © 2003 by Carol Fisher All Rights Reserved

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