Author(s): Anne Stewart O'Donnell

Biography & Memoir

Charles Francis Annesley Voysey (1857-1941) could easily have made a career out of pattern design alone, so celebrated were his ingenious textiles and wall coverings. By the mid-1890s, however, he also was hailed as one of Britain's most innovative architects. Like other Arts and Crafts practitioners, Voysey believed that no aspect of a house was too small to merit the architect's attention. His versatility was astonishing, encompassing all manner of furniture, cabinetry, fixtures, and wall coverings. He rejected the lavish ornamentation so beloved by the Victorians, relying instead on simple, expressive forms and materials. In "C.F.A. Voysey: Architect, Designer, Individualist," Anne Stewart O'Donnell traces Voysey's extraordinary creative output through his professional career while painting a vivid picture of Voysey, the man. Ninety color architectural and design drawings and historical photographs illuminate the individualism of this singular artist.