The Aesthetic Movement

    Two things that defines The Arts and Crafts Movement are The Aesthetic Movement and Art Nouveau.
    Aesthetic Movement as a term show us principles that emphasized art in the production of furniture, metalwork, ceramics, stained glass, textiles, wallpapers, books... At this period of time Japanese influence became more powerful than ever. But not all the designs of that time were in Japanese style. It was never inexpensive,plentiful, only a few objects and very few intact interiors, were there to show the richness and beauty.
  At first English designers and manufactures followed the pattern of conscious imitation established on the continent. From this movement came out designs and ideas that looked toward the 20th century. Because of the influence and well accepted Japanese style, everything was so innovative.
William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti were two angry reformers who explored new ways of living in defiance of the horrendous design standards of the age as revealed in the 1851 Great Exhibition. Two golden rules of this movement were 'art for art sake' and 'pure beauty'. Everything was without any moral or social purpose.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

His work had the parallel affect on the development of mid-Victorian illustration. In his life he only create twelve illustrations and four books. He transferred the language of painting to the area of graphic design. He lived at the time when there were popular a lot things like comic cartoons art, but in his art he insisted on seriousness and academic standards of painting. His approach was comprehensive, He changed everything; In his art he emphasises anatomical correctness, he put serious critique instead of humour, idealized beauty. He insisted on medieval fancy and sexuality. It  was revolutionary and very innovative at the time.

References:

The Aesthetic Movement . 2013. The Aesthetic Movement . [ONLINE] Available at: http://cai.ucdavis.edu/waters-sites/aesthetic_movement/aesthetic_movement.html. [Accessed 18 November 2013].

Dante Gabriel Rossetti as an Illustrator. 2013. Dante Gabriel Rossetti as an Illustrator. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.victorianweb.org/art/illustration/dgr/cooke.html. [Accessed 18 November 2013].