Lives of the Great Makers

This fascinating, richly illustrated anthology of the lives and careers of some of the most accomplished craftspeople represented in the V&A’s collection celebrates the pinnacle of creative accomplishment. Their pioneering designs, techniques, and aesthetic flair resulted in masterpieces that changed the nature and direction of the decorative arts forever. Arranged chronologically from the Renaissance to today, this book contextualizes the makers’ biographies through thematic introductions to the history of the decorative arts.

The book features forty illustrated biographies, ranging from furniture-makers such as Thomas Chippendale to wood-carvers such as Grinling Gibbons, and from textile artists including Gunta Stölzl to ceramicists such as Lucie Rie, alongside goldsmiths, enamelists, and many more. It also explores less familiar names who made a significant contribution to their field, brought together by their extraordinary skill and innovative use of technology and materials. While maintaining a focus on makers in Europe and North America, the book also surveys a range of international influences. This volume also explores important moments in the history of the decorative arts, ranging from early modern craft and industrialization through to the Arts and Crafts Movement, and from modernism to the postwar craft revival and beyond. This beautiful, expertly written book will appeal to anyone interested in visual culture.