Recently," A Glittering World of Masterpieces Treasures from the Rosalinda and Arthur Gilbert Collection " was on display at the Shanghai World Expo Museum. As soon as the temporary exhibition opened, it attracted countless audiences to come and watch.

　　Do you want to continue exploring the beauty of art and design and learn about the V&A Museum?

　　Opening the book, we continue to appreciate the beauty of art.

　　Victoria and Albert Museum V&A MUSEUM

　　The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) is one of the world's best-known and leading art and design museums, with more than 2.8 million collections, books and archives covering more than 5,000 years of human wisdom. In addition to the gold and silverware, snuff boxes, enameled portraits, miniature mosaics and other artworks you see in this exhibition, the museum houses many of the UK's national collections, including architectural studies, furniture, fashion, textiles, photography, sculpture, paintings, jewelry, glass, ceramics, book arts, Asian art and design, theater and performance, presenting the latest research results to audiences and documenting the changing human culture.

　　Recommended readings (can be browsed at the Expo Library):

　　Call number eng/J156.14-28/228

　　Art and Design for All: The Victoria and Albert Museum by Julius Bryant

　　The book describes the relationship between the 1851 British World's Fair and the Victoria and Albert Museum, reorganizes some important collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and introduces the museum's positioning, development and core concepts. Who like the history of World Expos and the V&A Museum must not miss this book!

　　Call number eng/G265/451

　　THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM:THE WORLD’S LEADING MUSEUM OF ART AND DESIGN by Trench, Lucy

　　The book mainly introduces the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, including ancient textiles, modern chairs, sculptures by Michelangelo, paintings by Constable and Raphael, photography by Cartier Bresson, etc. The collections are regarded as examples of craftsmanship and design, testimonials to history and culture, and works of art worth savoring.

　　William Morris William Morris

　　If one were to look for British artists with close ties to the V&A Museum, William Morris must be included. William Morris was the most famous artist, poet, designer and craftsman of the 19th century and the founder of the Arts and Crafts movement.

　　William Morris (1834~1896)

　　The Arts & Crafts Movement emerged in the United Kingdom at the end of the 19th century and spread to Europe and the United States. It was an international artistic trend that responded to the negative social and aesthetic consequences of the Industrial Revolution and gave birth to Art Nouveau.) was born. As a pioneer of the Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris made outstanding achievements in the fields of painting, church decoration and stained glass, interior decoration, wallpaper, textiles and publications.

　　Acanthus is one of the most representative patterns created by William Morris.

　　The V&A Museum not only collects a large number of works created by William Morris, but also commissioned him to decorate the museum restaurant.

　　The Morris Room. Designer William Morris

　　"Fruit", wallpaper, 1865 – 66

　　"The Strawberry Thief", printed fabric, 1883

　　Embroidery design "Helen", sketch, circa 1860

　　Recommended readings (can be browsed at the Expo Library):

　　Call number chi/K835.615.72=43/2771

　　"More than Beauty: The Art World of William Morris" by Tang Zehui and Zhou Wenhan

　　In this book, you can explore the artistic legend of William Morris and appreciate his achievements in print design, book binding and fantasy literature creation. He used delphiniums, tulips, willow branches and strawberries as elements. The wallpapers, tapestries and carpets designed, such as "Strawberry Thief" and "Acanthus", are classic works that span a century.

　　Call number eng/J534(561)-09/2642

　　WILLIAM MORRIS edited by Anna Mason

　　To commemorate the 125th anniversary of William Morris' death, the V&A Museum will publish a book named after him in 2021. The book includes paintings, church decoration and stained glass, interior decoration, furniture, tiles and tableware, wallpapers, textiles and more. Extensive and richly illustrated, this book is an exploration of a great thinker and artist and a must-read for anyone interested in the history of design.

　　Interlude: William Morris participated in three World expos, but interestingly, the 17-year-old William Morris refused to visit the first British World's Fair in 1851.

　　一般认为不愿意参观的原因是威廉·莫里斯觉得工业革命的产物不美观。

　　It is generally believed that the reason for the reluctance to visit was that William Morris found the products of the Industrial Revolution unsightly.

　　Art Deco Style

　　The V&A Museum also has a large collection of Art Deco collections. The Art Deco style was influenced by the Art Nouveau movement and emerged in the early 20th century. It was named after the "International Exposition of Modern Industrial Decorative Arts" in Paris, France, in 1925.

　　Promotional poster for the "International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts" in Paris, France, 1925

　　The influence of decorative art radiates to Britain and the United States and other places, affecting all aspects of architecture, graphics, interiors, furniture, industry, sculpture, painting, textiles, and clothing. Art Deco design styles returned to more geometric and refined lines; straight lines and edges were used on furniture and exterior walls and patterns tended to be abstract and simplistic.

　　From The V&A Sourcebook of Pattern and Ornament, page 239, this 1933 Art Deco panel was part of a decorative frieze at the entrance to a department store elevator.

　　The movie "The Great Gatsby" that we are familiar with uses a lot of decorative art elements, reflecting the popular design style of the early 20th century.

　　The background of the movie "The Great Gatsby" poster and the women's clothing style all have Art Deco elements.

　　Radioactive elements and geometric style of Gatsby's home swimming pool sign

　　Recommended readings (can be browsed at the Expo Library):

　　Call number eng/J532-64/2513

　　The V&A Sourcebook of Pattern and Ornament by Amelia Calver

　　This exclusive collection presents more than 1,000 examples of ancient and modern patterns and decorations from around the world, each with concise identification and explanation. The book is presented in thematic categories and is unique among pattern books in including not only surface patterns but also three-dimensional decorations and physical examples.

　　If you want to read books in the World Expo Library, please scan the QR code below to get the details of visiting the library~

　　Text: Luo Yunqing