The Journal of Design and Manufactures

Illustration: Textile design, 1851.

One of the seminal early influences on nineteenth century design reform, was undoubtedly The Journal of Design and Manufactures.

The journal, which was published between 1849 and 1852 by Chapman & Hall, was the brainchild of Henry Cole and Richard Redgrave. The journal was set up primarily as a guide to the formation of a good and comprehensive design strategy that could be formulated and then used throughout the manufacturing, retail and education systems across Britain. There was a relatively large proportion of textile design work shown throughout the history of the journal, but it was by no means limited to such.

Illustration: Textile design, 1850.

The journal was not only a guide, though that was its primary aim, it was also a forum of debate. Many critics of the mid-nineteenth century were naturally judgemental concerning the poor state of the British design industry, which often placed an emphasis on profit rather than any form of design strategy. It was considered by many that the entire interiors supply industry needed a complete overhaul. Not only was it thought that an emphasis should be placed firmly on that of the designer being aware, and being in a position to implement fundamental practises regarding design, it was also considered that many designers were lacking in any formal design education, which not only ultimately let down the industry, but also the retail  trade and the customers they served.

The journal tried to highlight an educational aspect to its publications, by producing a proportion of examples, sometimes as line drawings, but very often with examples of the actual textiles and wallpaper as produced by the manufacturer. These examples were often given an individual systematic dissection by the journal, as to the merits of their respective design work. However, the journal was not always complementary about design work reproduced in its pages, as often examples were used to highlight the failings of particular design work.

Illustration: Textile design, 1850.

As far as textiles were concerned, the journal tried to point out fundamental differences in aspects of textile construction and the approach design work should take to reflect and harmonize with those differences. For example, it was pointed out that the differences between woven and printed textiles meant that the same design work was not always appropriate for both mediums. Emphasis was also placed on the very nature of fabric and its construction as a flat medium. It was thought that 2-dimensional graphic type design work would be more appropriate and fitting to the flatness of the fabric, rather than trying to produce the illusion of 3-dimensions within a limited format.

The images shown here are all approved textile design work pieces from the journal. Compared to much of the work that was available at the time, these pieces are incredibly restrained and minimal in construction. Because the journal was using examples of already produced work, and was at the beginning of a long campaign of fighting for a systematic and logical approach to design work, they are perhaps not as revolutionary, by nineteenth century standards, as they would perhaps have hoped for. However, considering that these pieces were produced during a period of excessive use of 3-dimensional flower posies, garden features and romantic scenery, it is surprising that the journal was able to find any examples that they were able to approve of.

Although the journal lasted for such a short space of time, it did manage to galvanise early criticism of British design manufacturing, and although it took perhaps another century for the details of the design reform movement to sink in, Britain did eventually largely embrace the concept of flat design work for a flat medium.

The University of Glasgow Library has four of the six volumes of the Journal of Design and Manufactures, a feature of which can be found here.

Illustration: Textile design, 1851.

Further reading links:
University of Glasgow Library
Fifty Years of Public Work of Sir Henry Cole ... Accounted for in His Deeds, Speeches and Writings [Ed. by a S. and H.L. Cole].
King Cole: A picture portrait of Sir Henry Cole, KCB 1808-1882
A Handbook for Westminster Abbey
A Hand-Book for the Architecture, Tapestries, Paintings, Gardens,
The Great Exhibitor: The Life and Work of Henry Cole
**REPRINT** Redgrave, Richard, 1804-1888. Manual of design compiled from the writings and addresses of Richard Redgrave R.A. London. Chapman & Hall Ltd., 1882.**REPRINT**
Richard Redgrave C.b., R.a; A Memoir, Compiled From His Diary

The Journal of Design & Manufactures 1849-52

Illustration: Textile design, 1840.

The Journal of Design and Manufactures may have only been published for a couple of years in the mid-nineteenth century, but it was felt at the time that it achieved much in its short life as was seen by many as a vital educational tool for designers, industry and the public at large. It is recognised today as one of the first major steps towards a  perceived and fundamental understanding of the principles of design, decoration and pattern that would lead  to the eventual overhaul of nineteenth century design standards.

The journal was edited by Henry Cole and Richard Redgrave. Cole, in particular, was instrumental in drawing attention to the fundamental issue of design reform within the industrial decorative arts field, where much of the newly mass produced work for the interiors market was considered woefully inadequate on a number of issues by most critics in and outside of the decorative arts.

Illustration: Textile design, 1848.

Cole was a driven man who had numerous projects and ambitions mostly concerning British industry and design. He was for example, the major driving force behind the staging of the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. There is some evidence to support the theory that the real purpose of the Great Exhibition as far as Cole was concerned, might well have been a way of publicly highlighting the inadequacies of a large proportion of British based design work and the industry itself. Although this may only be partially true, it is a fact that Cole himself was relentless in both his criticism of the low standards of British manufacturing design and the design schools and colleges up and down the country that fed that industry. That he spent a large proportion of his career trying to raise the educational standard of design by restructuring the design schools and colleges themselves, is perhaps one of Cole's most basic but long lasting achievements.

The journal itself was published in monthly instalments from March 1849 until February 1852. In its thirty six issues which interestingly spanned the run up to and aftermath of the Great Exhibition of 1851, it was overridingly concerned with the state of the decorative arts in Britain. Cole and Redgrave considered, with a range of detailed evidence, that the state of British manufacturing, whether for domestic or export markets, was of an appallingly low standard. The cavalier attitude taken towards design, decoration and pattern was staggeringly shortsighted and destructive, particularly when considering the higher standard being achieved by a number of European. The embarrassment and subsequent questions asked by Parliament as to Britain's relatively poor showing at the Great Exhibition, particularly in the field of design and decoration, was fed to some extent at least by Cole and Redgrave's influential Journal of Design and Manufactures. The publication consistently targeted all the relevant groups that would and could influence a reform of decorative standards, including designers, manufacturers and politicians.

Illustration: Textile design, 1849.

The textile designs shown here are some of the examples that were used in the journal. They were genuine examples produced by a range of British and European companies and were used as tools to illustrate the message of how to identify the aspects of good design and decoration. They were perfect examples that could be used to stress the right proportion, colour and texture that needed to be achieved in order to produce a surface pattern that was of the right compositional balance.

Although the journal certainly did not change the tastes of both the public and industry overnight, it is seen today as one of the first steps in the long path towards a functional and practical design reform. It pointed towards a much better understanding that could be achieved when addressing the role that decoration and pattern played in the textile world and how standards could be maintained and strengthened by a combination of an educated designer, industry and consumer.

Further reading links:
The Great Exhibitor: The Life and Work of Henry Cole (Victoria and Albert Museum Catalogues)
King Cole: A picture portrait of Sir Henry Cole, KCB 1808-1882
Manual of Design; Compiled From the Writings and Addresses of Richard Redgrave
Richard Redgrave C.B., R.A
Richard Redgrave, 1804-1888
Fifty Years of Public Work of Sir Henry Cole ... Accounted for in His Deeds, Speeches and Writings [Ed. by a S. and H.L. Cole]
A Hand-Book for the Architecture, Tapestries, Paintings, Gardens,
The Great Exhibition of 1851: A Nation on Display
Britain, the Empire, and the World at the Great Exhibition of 1851
The Great Exhibition, 1851: A collection of contemporary documents; (Jackdaw)
Lectures On the Results of the Great Exhibition of 1851: Delivered Before the Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce
The Great Exhibition of 1851 (Texts in Culture)
The Industry Of Nations, As Exemplified In The Great Exhibition Of 1851: The Materials Of Industry