British Aesthetic movement silver, late 19th century

The Aesthetic movement was a cultural movement that emerged in Britain in the 1860s. It was characterized by a focus on aesthetics and the creation of beautiful, harmonious, and refined works of art, design, and literature. The Aesthetic movement was a rebellion against what was seen as the materialism of the industrial age, highlighted by the Great Exhibition of 1851 and was influenced by a number of artistic and cultural trends, including the Pre-Raphaelite movement, Japanese art, and the writings of John Ruskin and William Morris. The movement was associated with a number of prominent figures, including the artists and designers James McNeill Whistler and Oscar Wilde, and it had a significant impact on the development of art, architecture, and design in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement spread to the United States and in turn influenced both the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements.