Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo (12 December 1851 – 15 March 1942) was a progressive English architect and designer, who influenced the Arts and Crafts Movement, notably through the Century Guild of Artists, which he set up in partnership with Selwyn Image in 1882.
Mackmurdo was the son of a wealthy chemical manufacturer. He was educated at Felsted School, and was first trained under the architect T. Chatfield Clarke, from whom he claimed to have learnt nothing. Then, in 1869, he became an assistant to the Gothic Revival architect James Brooks. In 1873, he visited John Ruskin's School of Drawing, and accompanied Ruskin to Italy in 1874. He stayed on to study in Florence for a while; despite the influence of Ruskin, the Italian architecture he was most impressed by was that of the Renaissance.[1] That same year, Mackmurdo opened his own architectural practice at 28, Southampton Street, in London.
In 1882, Mackmurdo founded the Century Guild of Artists. Other members included Selwyn Image, Herbert Horne, Clement Heaton and Ruskin's protegee, the sculptor Benjamin Creswick. [1] It was one of the more successful craft guilds of its time. It offered complete furnishing of homes and buildings, and its artists were encouraged to participate in production as well as design; Mackmurdo himself mastered several crafts, including metalworking and cabinet making.
In 1884, the guild showed a display in the form of a music room at the Health Exhibition in London; the stand was shown, with variations, at subsequent exhibitions in Manchester and Liverpool. It incorporated two of Mackmurdo's favourite motifs. One was foliage twisted into sinuous curves. [1] Nikolaus Pevsner described Mackmurdo's use of such foliage on the title page of the designer's own Wren's City Churches (1883) as "the first work of art nouveau which can be traced", identifying its main influences as Rosetti and Burne-Jones and ultimately, through them, William Blake.[2]
The second motif was the use of thin square columns, topped with flat squares instead of capitals. These columns influenced the furniture designs of C.F.A. Voysey, and, through him, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Mackmurdo used them architecturally on his own house at 8 Private Road, Enfield, (1887), and on a house for the artist Mortimer Menpes, at 25 Cadogan Gardens, Chelsea (1893-1894), where he incorporated them into a kind of Queen Anne style.[1]
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Mackmurdo was born and raised into a very wealthy family in London. He was the son of Edward and Anne Mackmurdo [3]. His father was a very successful and established chemical manufacturer in the early 1800’s. Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo received much of his education at Felsted School [4]. He then developed an early passion for architecture and began training with an architect by the name of T. Chatfield Clarke (Lutchmansingh). However, according to Mackmurdo his training with Clarke was ineffective and unproductive. Mackmurdo once admitted that he did not gain any knowledge or learn anything working with Clarke [5].
After his time with Clarke, he decided to become an assistant to the Gothic Revival architect James Brooks in 1869 [6]. However, in 1871 he began reading the works of John Ruskin which influenced him to visit John Ruskin’s School of Drawing in 1873 [7]. In 1874, Mackmurdo traveled with Ruskin to study in Italy [8]. His time in Italy proved to be very valuable. He established friendships and contacts with powerful leaders of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Many of the leaders included William Morris, Phillip Webb, Ford Madox Brown, and Richard Norman Shaw [9]. During his time in Florence with Ruskin, Mackmurdo developed an interest in the Italian architecture of the Renaissance. This influenced him to open his own architectural practice, which he did on Southampton Street in London in 1875 [10].During this time he was quickly developing a successful career as an architect and designer while being well known for his involvement in the Arts and Crafts Movement (Lutchmansingh). He was also being acknowledged for being an important pioneer of Art Nouveau [11]. Despite all his success, he decided to focus his attention on social criticism and reform due to his ongoing passion for science [12]. He stressed the fact that he needed to focus more of his attention, time, and dedication towards his work as a social theorist and reformer than as a designer and artist [13]. In his “autobiographical notes” Mackmurdo stated that he studied mathematics, ethics, astronomy, and sociology [14]. He became so serious about his studies of social theory and reform that he began attending lectures of Thomas Huxley and William Tyndall from 1876 to 1878 [15]. Influenced by Huxley and Tyndall, Mackmurdo proclaimed himself as a “staunch Positivist.” In 1883, Mackmurdo lectured at Newton Hall in Fetter Lane, the London Center of Positivism. During one lecture, Positivist leader Frederic Harrison was in attendance with Spencer and George Eliot [16].
In 1882, Mackmurdo instituted the Century Guild of Artists [17]. The Century Guild of Artists became very popular and well-known as famous artists including Clement Heaton, Herbert Horne, and Selwyn Image became illustrious members [18]. Another Member included John Ruskin’s most successful student and protégée Benjamin Creswick. Benjamin Creswick was a very talented and famous sculptor during his time (Lutchmansingh). The Century Guilds of Artists presented people with the opportunity to completely refurnish their homes or buildings. The artists would use their skills and techniques by adding designs [19]. Many designs included furniture, stained glass, metal work, decorative painting, and architectural design. Mackmurdo became very successful as he conquered many skills, including cabinet making and metalworking [20]. Through his studies, Mackmurdo had a difficult time finding meaning and purpose for certain topics and subjects. He was once said that he had an “overmastering discontent with things as they were [21].” Many cases were related and linked to art and design. He would continuously criticize concepts related to popularized evolutionism [22]. Many concepts included the “law of nature,” the “fierce struggle” of competitive commerce, the need for “social synthesis,” and the “organism” of society and “organic revolution [23].” Many artists including John Ruskin, William Morris, Robert Browning, and Thomas Carlyle tried uplifting Mackmurdo’s frustration on these subjects but were unsuccessful [24].
Despite his displeasure with many concepts and theories, Mackmurdo found pleasure and inspiration from two unrelated principles. Mackmurdo noticed that traditional craftsmanship was being uncovered by industrial manufacturers and the operations of the free market [25]. He also realized that there was a need for a new scientific theory or belief of social reconstruction and historical understanding, Larry D. Evolutionary Affinity in Arthur Mackmurdo's Botanical Design. 1990. 4th December 2011.The development of these two interests was the main factors in motivating Mackmurdo and his art in the 1880’s. His new outlook and enthusiasm led to many accomplishments, success, and accolades [26]. Mackmurdo received most of his attention from his decorative works. He gained a lot of attention and fame for receiving Art Nouveau pieces. His inaugural Art Nouveau piece was for his cover of his book that was published in 1883 called “Wren’s City Churches [27].”Mackmurdo’s work will be mostly remembered for his ability to use flower and stem and the constructive recreation of logic, structure, and fitness [28]. The cover to his book “Wren’s City Churches” has many comparisons to the works of Christopher Dresser and Owen Jones who were Lutchmansingh, Larry D. Evolutionary Affinity in Arthur Mackmurdo's Botanical Design. 1990. 4th December 2011.Famous designers of the early 1800’s Lutchmansingh, Larry D. Evolutionary Affinity in Arthur Mackmurdo's Botanical Design 1990 4th December 2011.Mackmurdo was considered to be one of the greatest at being able to direct an intense appearance of natural strength in his designs and art work [29]. Mackmurdo will always be remembered for his theories of design, art, and science. One of Mackmurdo’s theories was his belief that nature is controlled by a law of progressive development, Larry D. Evolutionary Affinity in Arthur Mackmurdo's Botanical Design. 1990. 4th December 2011 [30]. He also believed that a work of art is related to a plant because both are works of nature [31].
Larry D. Lutchmansingh Design Issues , Vol. 6, No. 2 (Spring, 1990), pp. 51-57