THE AESTHETIC MOVEMENT

The aesthetic movement, whose motto was art for art's sake, swept through North America and England in the late 19th century and tou ched every sphere of the fine and decorative arts. All aspects of design experienced new freedom and revitalization, perhaps best pe rsonified by the colorful Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley. Huge social and cultural changes occurred because more than a decorative style, the aesthetic movement reflected an attitude.