Archibald Knox and the British Interpretation of Art Nouveau

Illustration: Archibald Knox textile design 1900

Archibald Knox is probably rightly best known for his domestic metal work design pieces, and particularly for the work he produced for the retail outlet of Liberty. However, he was also involved in textile design work and some of the design work produced by him at the turn of the twentieth century, though it might not have had the same popularity as some of the main textile and wallpaper design work of the day, can still be seen as fine examples of not only a late Victorian decorative style, but an insight into the British interpretation of the new European Art Nouveau decorative style.

The Art Nouveau movement had managed to instil itself into many aspects of the decorative arts in large parts of Europe by 1900. However, Britain with its self imposed isolationist approach to the continent, was less than enthusiastic and at first tried to ignore the movement altogether, hoping that it was a transitory decorative effect that would have its moment and then fade, hopefully without the British decorative industry having to invest any time or money in the style.

Illustration: Archibald Knox textile design 1900

It became apparent as the 1890s gathered pace, that the decorative movement was not fading, and if anything was gathering strength as the decade progressed. The British could no longer ignore the style which was beginning to prove popular with elements of the general public, and therefore had to deal with the importation of yet another European decorative movement. However, the British have always had a tendency of changing and even developing decorative styles to suit their own needs and tastes, which is what they did with the Art Nouveau movement. While certain elements were swallowed whole, such as the sinuous and twisting effects that were such an integral part of Art Nouveau, and the dependence on the natural world as an inspiration, changes were made and these can be seen in part at least, in the examples of textile design work by Archibald Knox shown in this article.

All the designs were produced in 1900, which could probably be said to be the height of the Art Nouveau movement, and while they do follow the tenets of the French style, they do not follow it that closely. Knox has used the element of the sinuous curve not as a symbolic interpretation of the sensuous nature of the natural world, but as a genuine observation of the curve as seen in the natural world. Therefore we see the portrayal of the movement of water and the curve of a bird's tail feather. While the French system of Art Nouveau only allowed nature to play a secondary and supportive role to that of ornamentation and decoration, the version Knox and many other British designers used, allowed the observation of the natural world to play a much larger part in the design work, drawing closer similarities to the work and style of William Morris and the Arts & Crafts movement, rather than that of the French. Knox's portrayal of foliage, while paying a certain amount of homage to Art Nouveau and its new emphasis on style over representation, is still not convincing as a piece of Art Nouveau decoration in the French style.

Illustration: Archibald Knox textile design 1900

These pieces by Knox do not so much show the hesitancy or timidity of British tastes as compared to the French, but have much more to say about the British love of nature and its accurate and faithful portrayal within the realms of the decorative arts. Knox provided, with these examples of textile design work, a subtle but still rich example of decorative work that took some of the best elements of European contemporary design, diluted them and then wove them into the British tradition of placing the affection held for the natural world at the centre of decoration, rather than the periphery.

Britain's lukewarm approach towards the Art Nouveau movement should be seen within the context of a culture that had its own special relationship with nature, at least in the context of decoration, and that all subsequent movements would have to take that relationship into consideration if they were to succeed.

Reference links:
Archibald Knox
Designs of Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co.