Henry Chapman Mercer

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the personal life and professional achievements of Mercer. It tells how he was founder of the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works (1912), where he was the chief designer for many years. This paper discusses his interests, how they ranged from architecture to archeology and how his work was influenced by various architectural schools, especially the Art and Crafts Movement.

From the Paper:

"Mercer was heavily influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and became an important proponent of its style and ideas in America. The pottery works flourished and Mercer's designs for decorative tiles became popular. They were featured in a number of public buildings but the most notable installations of his tiles are to be found in his castle-like home, Fonthill, in Doylestown in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This home, Mercer's museum, and his tile works all reflect the eclectic 'medievalism' that characterized much of Arts and Crafts architecture in England and the United States. And, although he drew on many sources of inspiration, his tiles often display themes and stylistic features similar to those of the movement's designers. Mercer's accomplishments in design have never earned him wide fame, yet the work is very fine and an excellent example of how the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement flourished in America."

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