Biography
Walter Crane was born in Liverpool, and shared the Pre-Raphaelites’ interest in medieval design. He was a student of John Ruskin, and a friend of William Morris. He was a versatile artist and created designs for wallpapers, printed fabrics, tiles and ceramics. Crane believed that any object made with love and skill could help educate the public to appreciate and enjoy beautiful design. He was a founding member of the Art Worker’s Guild and Principal of the Royal College of Art, London. From the 1860s Crane worked on illustrations for children’s books and developed a distinctive Symbolist style which often featured mythical or allegorical subjects. Crane had an international reputation as an illustrator, and was in constant demand for his designs for book covers and advertisements.
