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Cover of Hopes and fears for art

Hopes and fears for art

William Morris

First published 2002 · 235 pages

A reverent, philosophical exploration of craftsmanship and the transformative power of art in society.

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What it feels like

Reading this text feels like stepping into a meticulously crafted historical archive, where every word is as deliberately placed as the Golden type it was originally printed in. The pace is steady and contemplative, inviting the reader to sit with earnest, philosophical arguments about the Arts and Crafts movement. It carries an antiquarian mood, steeped in a deep reverence for aesthetic beauty and the value of human labor. The prose is formal and historically rooted, reflecting a profound belief in the intersection of art and societal change. This is a book for those who delight in the intellectual history of design, offering a thoughtful journey through the hopes, fears, and transformative potential of artistic expression.

Mood
  • contemplative
  • antiquarian
  • intellectual
Tone
  • earnest
  • philosophical
  • reverent
  • didactic
Pace
steady
Themes
the value of craftsmanship · art and society · aesthetic philosophy · societal transformation
The writing
Formal, historically rooted, and deeply concerned with aesthetic and philosophical precision.
The arc
A thoughtful progression from contemplating the current state of aesthetics to envisioning art's transformative potential for society.
Who it's for
Readers who appreciate the history of the Arts and Crafts movement and the philosophical intersection of art, labor, and societal change.

About the book

This edition limited to 315 copies.--Cf. Longmans, Green and Co. prospectus for the series, dated October 3, 1901.

"It has been found advantageous to make one volume instead of two of 'Hopes and fears for art' and 'Signs of change'"--Publisher's notice laid in.

"First printed in 1882, and now reprinted at the Chiswick Press with the Golden type designed by William Morris for the Kelmscott Press"--Colophon.

Text printed in double columns; printed in red and black.

Bound with: Signs of change / William Morris. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1902.

MASS copy: Bound in quarter dark blue linen, grey paper boards, with printed paper label mounted on spine, and additional paper label tipped in between cover and front free endpaper.

Description from Open Library.

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