C.F.A. Voysey: Architect, Designer, Individualist

Charles Francis Annesley Voysey (English, 1857-1941) could easily have made a career out of pattern design alone, so celebrated were his ingenious textiles and wall coverings. By the mid-1890s, however, he also was hailed as one of Britain's most innovative architects. For the small country houses that were his specialty, he rejected the lavish ornamentation and historical trappings so beloved by the Victorians, relying instead on simple, expressive forms and materials. His influence cannot be overstated. Like other Arts and Crafts practitioners, Voysey believed that no aspect of a house was too small to merit the architect's attention. His versatility was astonishing, encompassing all manner of furniture, cabinetry, fixtures, and floor and wall coverings. From the shape of a clothes hook to the sweep of a roofline, every form he created was informed by a strong and unorthodox spiritual philosophy that often set Voysey at odds with other designers, even as he rose to become a leadingforce. His wallpapers and textiles, in particular, reveal Voysey's complex personality - his lifelong love of England's flora and fauna, his belief that a reverent observation of the natural world might hasten humanity's spiritual evolution, and his unusually whimsical (and occasionally wicked) sense of humour. Today his images are as beloved as they were then. In C. F. A. Voysey: Architect, Designer, Individualist, Anne Stewart O'Donnell traces this extraordinary creative output while painting a vivid picture of Voysey's character. More than sixty-five full-colour drawings and over two dozen historical black-and-white photographs illuminate the individualism of this singular artist.